


Shards of the Risen

by HDSimplicity



Category: Tomb Raider (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-05-15 18:32:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 35,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19301419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HDSimplicity/pseuds/HDSimplicity
Summary: Set about a month after 2015's Rise of the Tomb Raider.Search. Discover. Protect.After Siberia, Lara struggles to keep her mind off of following her father's work. She admired how much about the ancient world he wanted to learn about. But he did not go after this, nor mention it.Reluctantly allowing Jonah and Samantha to join her, Lara returns to Siberia in search of a lost legend - a powerful sword - vying to prevent a high ranking Trinity commander from seizing it. She gets more than she bargains for. How far does she go to stop Trinity this time and risk her friends' safety?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> Alright, context before you start this!  
> Inspired in early 2016 to start this. Had the idea to go for a DLC- style addition, and spun off from the lore in Rise of the Tomb Raider that I thought was interesting. I don't know how many of you will like what I have done or can make total sense of it. Haha.  
> Took me a while to get this done, between changing majors to writing and starting other ideas. However, about one and two third months ago, I just wanted to get it finished. What you are going to see is my developing writing style over three years, four months and four days (2/15/16 - 6/19/19), and quite possibly my plotting getting tighter less rambling. Maybe...maybe not. 
> 
> This is my first project completed of this size EVER. First draft too. No plans to edit in depth yet.  
> Posting in parts or chapters; which ever I think is not that overwhelming in a time period. If I need to post more for the sake of interest, I can. I have only posted fanfiction once before. Anyway, I really, really hope you enjoy what I attempted to do! If you don't, let me know what I can keep in mind going forward.  
> PS: I believe I got all the inner dialogue italicized. in the chances I forgot, I'll fix it for next time. Also Sofia's name is misspelled many, many, MANY times. I forgot until just before I first posted her name is spelled with an 'f', not 'ph'.

The choppers minigun rained down fire, gouging holes into the stone wall. It paused, the helicopter moved to her left, gaining a better view, and resumed firing.Lara sprinted right, evading more gunfire and rounded the curve of the tower. Down a short set of stairs that had seen better days, and back up. She crouched and noticed the gunfire stopped. Lara eased out, slowly turning to face the chopper. The pilot hadn’t spotted her. Lara retrieved her radio from her belt.

“Sophica...are you ready yet?”

“Just about!” Sophia said, rolling a small boulder into the trebuchet sling.

“Ok….get ready!”

Lara fished an explosive arrow from her quiver and hooked it to her bows string. She peeked out from behind the wall; the chopper spotted her and opened fire. The edge of the wall disintegrated, leaving dust and bits of ancient stone where Lara’s boot had been two seconds earlier. More holes puckered the stone in front of her. A small section of the tower’s edge became fragments; the minigun strafed past Lara’s position into the air beyond the tower.

“Lara, here it comes!”

She didn’t have time to reply; a flaming boulder hurled from the trebuchet Sophia and two Remnant soldiers. The minigun stopped, just long enough for her to run to the next wall that hadn’t been shredded yet. The chopper tracked her. Bow in hand, she drew back with full strength and aimed for the red-orange blot flying toward the chopper. When it was closest, she released the string. The primed arrow sliced through the air. It met the ball of flame and a thunderous detonation resulted, the force and fire lathered the chopper. The chopper pilot lost control. Lara realized it drifted right to her. She couldn’t do anything to stop that; it spun once more and drilled into the base of the tower. Stone shook like an earthquake, knocking Lara to her knees. She thought the tower would give way, a lump stuck in her throat and waited to fall through rubble.

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

Deep grey clouds dotted the afternoon sky wherever she looked, rain drizzling down at a steady rate, and Lara paced along bark footpaths. The park, a fifteen minute walk from Croft Manor in Surrey, England, provided Lara snippets of peace, something she rarely had the luxury of. Her beige khaki hoodie, red cargo jeans and combat boots covered her from the chill, 40 degree November weather that enveloped so much of the United Kingdom. While most UK citizens labeled this weather as somewhat frigid, Lara felt lukewarm in her outdoor attire. Years of embarking on expeditions to exotic locations, where clouds hid the warm sun in mid winter to desert-like conditions, toughened her to quickly adjust to most any environment she found herself in.

Her paced quickened, making sure no one nearby might suspect where she was going, and found a vacant metal bench, the elegant curves and lines of the steel dripping tears of rain silently to the wet bark. She gingerly sat down, arms crossed over her chest, deep in thought. _I still cannot believe Ana lied to me...all those years of her taking my mother’s place, acting like a wife to my father when she just used us. Her scheme to discover the Divine Source with her elder brother Konstantin was too well planned. Why didn’t I find out earlier? I could have stopped her and Konstantin...maybe slugged some sense into them of why they wouldn’t get what they were after. Well, heh...I guess I did slug sense into Konstantin. He isn’t a hinderance any more._ Lara scanned the park’s paths on either side of the bench. Why would anyone be tracking her down? She has barely been home for three weeks. Her two best friends, Samantha and Jonah, were out relaxing. On occasion, Lara forgot Jonah and Sam grew up together, as the three of them also did. Sam and Jacob both enjoyed bowling, playing guitars and drums, and shooting bows, not to mention reading about archeology. That was one big thing they had in common.

Lara’s gaze swung over to a park sign a few feet to her right. “Unauthorized digging forbidden.” it read. _If there’s an important object buried beneath this park, I wouldn’t hesitate a moment to dig it up._ She snickered and exhaled a deep breath she had been holding. Her nerves were over the edge...worse than normal. Sometimes her fingers shook, just noticeable, or she tapped her heels subconsciously while listening to her friends jabber, or her psychiatrist explain why she wanders the streets near her family’s manor alone at 2 o’clock in the morning. The family psychiatrist, Dr. Smith, told Lara after she returned from the island of Yamatai six months ago that she was suffering from PTSD. You’ve no clue what I experienced. How typical, Lara thought.  


For more than half an hour, Lara sat undisturbed on the park bench. The rain was streaming heavier than before. People came and left as half an hour turned into an hour. Her stomach rumbled; she meant to check out a new local steak diner, but time got away from her. _That seems to happen when I am not out searching for something my father once sought after._ Time...time to Lara meant she had little to none to retrieve something of high importance, or she had to rescue an ally or a friend held in captive. The opposite happened when Lara was at home in Surrey. She had more than enough time to think, since her time usually was occupied with opening ancient tombs, or evading a private military organization hell bent on ending her and her friends and allies’ lives. _That’s also an important trait dad never understood. He was always on the move, searching for lost relics, some with great power and some meant to be preserved. He didn’t allocate enough time to me, our relationship, but he did with Ana. Oh...how Ana used us. I will never forgive her for that, even if she’s no longer alive. She took my time...the time I deserved more than she. Time to spend with my father, to persuade him to let me go search for objects of importance. I loved him...I just wish he saw that. Dang it, Ana!_ Lara felt her fists curl up so tightly her nails dug into her palms. She took another deep breath, closed her eyes, and unclenched her hands.

Sunlight broke through a couple of clouds, the rain lessened, and no one else wandered the parks footpaths. Lara dug into her pocket and retrieved her cell phone. 

“Sam...it's me.”  


Sam’s voice crackled through the speaker.“Hey you...what's up?”  


“Out for a walk...trying to find peace and quiet. Not really good that that, though.”  


“Haha, Lara. Don’t be a downer on yourself all the time. You always say that whenever we return home from a trip abroad.”  


“Sorry. Hey, are you with Jonah?” she asked.  


“Yeah. We just finished a bowling game. Beat him by five points!” Lara grinned. She wished she could enjoy a simple game of bowling, or any social game, for that matter. However, she always found her mind meandered to fascinating relics of old yet to be found.  


“Heh not bad. Say, you and Jonah want to met up at Kings Cross Steaks? “  


“That the new steak kitchen? Sure! Haven’t savored a steak in some time...hold on...Okay...I'll tell her Jonah. Lara, Jonah and I have a gift for you. You’re gonna love it...fits you perfectly,” Sam said.  


“Sounds good. I’ll catch a taxi and meet you there in ten minutes.”  


“Sweet. See ya.” Sam acknowledged.  


“Bye.” Lara finally stood up, stretched her legs and arms, and started to the nearest taxi waiting area. _The only people I truly feel safe with...and sharing sensitive information with too. Ahh...this ought to be a bit of a de-stresser._

Ten minutes flew by as Lara exited the taxi and approached the new steak kitchen. The street was bustling with traffic and herds of people, something she wasn’t exactly comfortable with. Customers walking from designer clothes outfitters to coffee shops to post offices, Lara picked her way through a thin crowd and saw Sam and Jonah waiting for her on a bench. Jonah wore a turquoise shirt with cargo pants while Sam sported navy blue leather jacket, a cream shirt imprinted with three Japanese flowers and jeans with a ripped knee. On Jonah’s lap was cardboard box big enough to carry a set of tall outdoor boots in. They stood up as she arrived.  


“There she is. Hey Lara,” Jonah said, giving her a hug.  


“Jonah,” His hugs were always warm and firm, but not tight. Even for a bulky guy, Jonah was tender and gentle with both Lara and Sam, “ How are you?”  


“Pretty good. Ready for a medium rare steak and a big soda.”  


“Heh. That ought to be delicious! Hey Sam.” Sam gave her a big hug and hung on for a few seconds.  


“Hey you. Enjoyed your solitary confinement?” Sam joked. For a week and a half, Lara wanted some time to herself. Sam and Jonah got time to hang out, but they still spoke to Lara every couple days, making sure she feeling fine.  


“Solitary confinement? Nice one, Sam. Ha-ha... I haven’t been spending every waking second alone, you know.”  


“You sure spend a majority of your time alone when you are home...we have to pry you out of your front door just so can come hang out,” Sam chuckled.  


“I guess you have a point. Sigh...she’s right, “ Lara thought, “Alright. Let's get inside.”  


The three friends entered the steak house, letting the scent of grilling steaks fill her lungs. They approached the front desk server and requested three chairs, the server leading them through a handful of hungry primary school kids. Normally the steak house was packed; It’s one of the more popular places around town to eat and hang out, but today it looked mostly vacant. An empty table with three wood chairs presented itself to the trio, right next to a window facing the street.  


“Shweeet,” Jonah said as he relaxed into a seat across from Lara and Sam,” What are you ladies interested in?”  


Lara and Sam both got a steak cooked medium rare while Jonah requested his well-done. With three lemonades to accompany them, the three of them sat in silence for a good minute. Jonah broke the silence, “ Oh...Lara here you go,” Jonah handed her the cardboard package. Lara squinted, turning the package to a side. “Hmm..oh what could it be?” she said. Lara unclipped her pocket knife from her cargo pant pocket and flicked the four and a half inch, partially serrated blade out. It poked through the packing tape that sealed the top like butter, and out came a curved piece of red aluminum: A rock climbing axe, featuring a leather wrapped handle, a six inch blade screwed into the frame, and a small blade that can slide in and out of the bottom. Concealed below that was a Buck Knife, with a brown leather holster and a sharpening stone.  


Lara grasped the axe tenderly with both hands, fingers examining the blade. “My gosh...you guys didn’t have to do this.”  


“Sam and I thought they would be useful on your next trip, whenever it is,” Jonah explained.  


“Where did you find these?”  


“I found the axe in London. I don’t know where Sam found the knife,”Jonah said.  


“I got the knife locally, “ Samantha said, “I wanted to get a bigger one, but that's all they had.”  


“Thank you, both of you. They’ll be very useful.” 

An hour and a half later, the three friends finished their meals. Jonah picked up the tab, and Lara walked with them down the strip of markets and stores, now even busier. Lara's watch, a rugged outdoor model Sam gave to her as a birthday gift last year, read 4:45PM.  


“Alright...I’m gonna head back home. It’s been a long day. Thanks for dinner guys”  


“You have spent each of the last 11 days alone in the evenings at home. C’mon...stick along with us tonight, Lara. We could catch a movie?” Sam said, a hint of stubbornness in her voice.  


“Sorry, but I am feeling worn out tonight. Something is on my mind, and I haven’t figured it out. Night guys.” Lara yawned and looked at the sidewalk, hands in her jacket pocket.  


“Okay...but tomorrow night you will do something different,” Jonah insisted. He was stubborn at the best of times, but also reasonable when necessary.  


“Sounds good. See ya!” Lara hugged her friends, then strolled to a taxi that had pulled up near them, and told the driver her home address.

 

Stormy rain clouds had all but disappeared once Lara strolled up to the manor’s wet granite steps, bits of moss growing along the edges. The bronze, torch-shaped fountain that welcomed many people over the years since before Lara was born, calmed her; water’s natural sound quality was a mysterious source of relaxation for even the most stressful times. Why she felt stressful was another matter; something bothered her, yet pinpointing took more effort than she was willing to give. _Perhaps a cup of hot chocolate and a book by the fire will ease my mind_ , Lara considered. She closed the front door and went straight for the fireplace, across from her father’s old study. Her stockpile of firewood was dwindling, but there was enough for a couple more evenings worth. Soon she had a toasty fire, warmth encapsulating the room. A book on European & Middle East archaeology and a large mug of hot chocolate accompanied her, along with a thick maroon blanket her father gave to her when she was 15. _Now...where was I? I already read the chapter on tombs in Persia. What about Italy or Slovenia? Ehh whatever...lets just read something…_ Lara’s eyes fluttered after twenty minutes of pouring through one of many archaeology books she possessed. The hot chocolate sliding down her throat soothed her hungry mind, and she slipped into a deep sleep.  


She was in her father’s house, observing him pacing his study and talking to a mysterious caller. He was young; Lara looked to her feet and discovered she was half the size she was at 21. From her observations, he sounded anxious. What happened? Her vision was limited to her father, his desk, and the window behind him, the radiance of the sun illuminating him and casting a thin shadow upon his desk.  


“Is that a confirmation, or an assumption? I _need_ to know of the Shards are actually there. I refuse to spend more money than necessary on a discovery that isn’t confirmed.”  


The caller’s voice was just audible. “We don’t know yet, Richard. We are working with members of Trinity’s intelligence as we speak to confirm it. Besides, I know you well enough where even if this was an assumption, you wouldn’t hesitate a moment to pack a bag and join us. “  


“Well...heh, you’re right about that. It’s just that something about Trinity’s actions involving this are...odd, “ Lara’s father said, suspicion rising in his voice.  


“Well I don't think so...they have been a valuable asset.”  


Lara didn’t catch the end of the phone call. The scene snapped out of existence to a set of metal stairs, those found in private planes. Sure enough: she found herself on board a small plane. Only it wasn’t her in the plane...it was her father. He sat to the right of the plane’s cabin, two rows back. On his lap was an aging book. _That’s my archaeology of Europe and the Middle East book_ , Lara confirmed. His gaze stared endlessly out the small 3.5’ x 1.5’ window, aimed at a mountain range. She couldn’t make out the landscape, only that she could hear the rapid pattering of rain as the plane flew through a rainstorm. “The sooner we stop Trinity, the sooner the Shards will be safe. If not, I cannot possibly imagine what terror will be unleashed if they _do_ discover them,” he rumbled aloud. Three loud thunderclaps reverberated through the plane. “What’s our ETA?” he yelled over the vibrating plane.  


“30 minutes,” came the co-pilots answer, verified with the pilot.  


Rain picked up, wind tossed the plane with the intent of halting the travelers, and the plane abruptly pitched downward. “Shoot...what’s going on, Captain?” Lara’s father hollered, hands clutching his armrests.  


“Aaarrrggg...I don’t know!! I’m losing altitude..starting the landing cycle!” The plane was in the air for another 45 seconds before an intense screeching of steel and multiple heavy bumps shook Lara’s sight out of the plane. She still saw it all through her father’s eyes, who were now staggering over huge fallen tree branches and bits of steel from the undercarriage of the plane. Now the scene fast-forwarded to a wooded area. Lara’s father, the pilot, co-pilot, and four others were surrounded by armed men, ordained with suits of Kevlar and military grade assault rifles. Lara picked up her father’s pulse quickening. _Oh no, no, please NO!_. He put his hands up in defense while one man, presumably the leader, walked with swagger to him. His stare bored a hole into his eyes large enough for a semi-truck to pass through. Lara’s father breathing intensified, sweat beads forming on his forehead and hands. “Now wait a moment...I can help you! We have searched many places for the Shards, but now we have a strong indication to where they are! Just don’t do anything,” he paused to scan the other soldiers, “ you will regret!” The man her father labeled the Leader snorted and laughed, “Oh, you _will_ help us. I know that for a fact. But first you must pay for insolent lack of compliance,” he stated flatly. He reached for his rifle’s trigger, yanked the bolt back and chambered a round.


	2. Chapter 2

Lara awoke to sweat glistening her face, a migraine invaded her, and she gasped for air. Ripping her blanket off her wet clothes, she sprinted for the kitchen faucet and doused her face with ice cold water. _What the heck was that?_ She splashed more water and concealed her face behind shaking hands. _That was disturbing...but fascinating as well_ , she thought. A vision had jolted Lara awake. She never had those, albeit never while alone. She recognized one person throughout the scenes that played through her subconscious: her father. Richard Croft, while alive, became one of the most important archeological figures in England. Her mother had passed away when she was only 9 years old. Thus, her father became the central figure in Lara’s childhood, until he met Ana, that double agent working for her brother and Trinity. What confused her is why Ana hadn’t appeared in her vision. From her father’s office to his company surrounded in that forest, Lara strived to divulge any possible interpretations or clues pointing to something. _Gosh...why is this so difficult. Let’s get some hot water in the bath running to help_ , she thought.

The grandfather clock next to the fireplace read 3:45AM. Lara jogged deliberately out of the fireplace room and out to the front hall, where a pair of opposing curving staircases led to the second level of the manor. The master bathroom was next to her parents bedroom. Inside her parents room was a hulking bed, with several fine pillows and blankets from her father’s travels around the world. Above the back of the bedframe was a painting, originating from the border of Germany and France. On it was a mountain range with forests surrounding it. A small river snaked its way down the mountain and through the trees. 

She undressed and got the tub running with steamy water. Ten minutes later, she stepped in, the temperature relaxing her so much she began drifting off to sleep. Now that she was relaxed, her vision played back to her. At first, it was her father speaking on his phone, mentioning the “Shards”. No one else entered the room, so she reimagined the next scene. Her father on a plane, casting his view out the window, reading a book about European and Middle Eastern archeology, also mentioning something about “Shards”. Finally, he and his exploration team were surrounded by Trinity forces, Konstantin racking his assault rifle as he demanded information about, once again, these “Shards”.. _That is the first clue_ , Lara thought, _what are these Shards he keeps referring to, and why did Konstantin want information about them? Let’s start there_. After fifteen comforting minutes soaking in the tub, Lara dried off and redressed. The bath sure helped her, and the fireplace downstairs, as she discovered, still burned with a small fire. She settled on the sofa once again and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning showed up pale and bleak; more rain and grey clouds dotted the English sky. Samantha and Jonah took a trip to the bowling alley near the steak house her, Jonah, and Lara ate at yesterday. They were halfway through their first game when Samantha broke the silence.

“You have an idea to why Lara has been to quiet lately?” She said.

“Yeah...but I am probably mistaken,” he said.

“Doubt it. What do you think?”

“There is something about her you and I both know, but she doesn’t want to admit it. And because of that, it worries me she won’t seek help,” he said.

“I have an idea, but do explain. It’ll make more sense coming from you...I have a hard time putting certain thoughts into words,” she said.

“For starters, she usually stays by herself when we’ve returned from our expeditions. Even now, she doesn’t venture out much into the public, except when a potential archeological find comes up”

“That I can see,” she said,” I’d still like to know why. Even she doesn’t tell me everything. I feel like she doesn’t trust me as she should...like...we’ve been close friends, like sisters, since fourth grade, yet she conceals stuff. Does she do the same to you when I am not around?”

“Funny thing is she doesnt,” he said, picking up his bowling ball and taking his turn,” when we ventured out to that old Soviet installation, she referred to that specific expedition as something her father wanted to do. Said he planned so much of it, but ended up not doing it. Oh...wow. Strike!”

“Good one, “ she said. She plucked up her bowling ball, walked up to the lane, and put her weight behind it. It sped to the pins, plowing through the right side and knocking all but one down.

“Why are you so good at this?” She sneered. 

“I’ve had more practice. My dad took me bowling twice a week for six months. Taught me the basics...and I picked it up faster than her thought,” he said, an innocent smile displaying across his lips.

“Yeah...sure haha. Here is for my Spare...and,” she followed her ball’s trail as it knocked the final pin on the left side over,” Nailed it!” She flicked her eyebrows at Jonah, who grinned and shook his head. “Are you challenging me?”

“Naw….I’m just here for the fun. Even if I did, I’d give you a run for your money.”

“Sometime, Sam...sometime. Anyhow, it looks to me Lara is one of two things: depressed or traumatised. Why would she be? Remember Yamati? Now Siberia? She did things to the people she encountered she despised. I believe the lies she discovered about her family, the people she tried to stop, but she was forced to kill...it all came down on her. She couldn’t handle the brutality of it all,” he said.

“Yet she is willing to do it now? That makes no sense, “ she said. 

“No...it doesn’t.”

“Shouldn’t we talk to her about this?” She said.

“Maybe bring it up, but nothing more. At least yet. Trust me...I’ve tried. She shuts down when I mention that stuff to her,” he said. He turned to the windows facing the road, holding his bowling ball. Rays of light broke their way through the rain clouds that always seem to cover every square inch of England. The scent of Polish Dogs reached his nostrils, and his stomach rumbled.

“Say, let’s get some lunch. We’ll give Lara a call in a bit...get her out of the house again,” Jonah said.

“I forgot what time it was heh. Yeah...a Polish Dog makes my mouth water the longer I think about it. Let’s add Root Beer to that. Sound good?” She said

“Heck yeah it does.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lara somehow managed to gain seven more hours of sleep after the vision she encountered. Although she thought it was a nightmare at first, the more she pondered it during the mid morning hours, beams of sunlight working their way through the manor’s many windows, she came to conclusion that it was of utmost importance. Like her father, when it came to anything, even remotely related, involved in archeology, she felt it was her duty to investigate it to the best of her abilities and determine if it was safe to uncover.

After pouring a large bowl of Frosted Flakes for breakfast, she entered her father’s study and opened her laptop on the carpet, setting her Middle East and European archeology book next to it. The first place she could start was by peeling through pages upon pages of documentation, detailing relics, objects, and myths of old in the history of the Middle East. Most of the 800 page book was bookmarked with bent sticky notes. Of that portion, the Divine Source was halfway through. Lara paused and gazed for a few seconds; the hand drawn picture of the supernatural crystal still amazed her: the seven large, sky blue crystals that resembled a stalactite shone on the parchment with sheen and grace was truly a thing of beauty. She continued flipping through the remaining, unmarked part of the book until she ran across an object with the word ‘shards’ in its title. _Hmm, this looks unfamiliar. Dad never mentioned this to me in person...this might be my first lead_ , she thought. On the page was a page-length drawing of a sword:a two handed, double bladed weapon 4 ¾ feet in length, including the handle. The blade looked constructed from steel, with engravings etched in the middle, from the hilt to three quarters of the way to the tip. The hilt looked like a single piece of bronze, protecting the hand from a wider than normal tang that had carried a faintly noticeable cross engraving pointing toward the blade’s tip. Wrapped around it was silver-dyed leather, with a cylindrical bronze pommel finishing off the handle. _Stunning. This might be the most elegant, yet simple sword I have ever seen_ , she thought. She turned the page, chomped on a spoonful of Frosted Flakes, and the name of the sword revealed itself. _Shards of the Risen...hmm…’Risen’? Another mystery to look into. That is where the sword gets its name, as many swords get names from deeds they achieve while in battle, or from whatever their creators bestow upon them. Whoever forged it must have a reason for that, or they ran out of ideas. Well, risen could mean the sword had risen from something, or somewhere...or from someone? Heh...no. That sounds absurd_ , she pondered. As for the age of the sword, based on the drawing alone she guessed its age between 600 to 1,000 years old. Unfortunately, there was hardly any more information on the succeeding pages. Alls that was written were myths about where it actually came from, who might have created it, and its potential purpose. Even in that, no direct sources of reference appeared. _Sounds like it’s up to me to figure this out. Thanks dad for the idea_ , she thought.

Lara combed through more of the book; nothing else about the sword caught her attention. Just when she felt like scrounging the internet, the end of the page grabbed her focus. _You’ve got to be kidding...what did the ancient Order of Trinity have to do with this sword? Hopefully it’s not the same as the group of Trinity soldiers I encountered searching for the Divine Source_ , she thought. She recalled back when she first found out about Trinity, what they were after, and later on Konstantin’s motivation. Dangerous, cold, and calculating, they were tough and resilient. Ana manipulated Konstantin, who was somehow connected to the deeper inner workings of Trinity, without difficulty. If the story of this sword was somehow connected to Trinity, discovering it would be a challenge, and stopping whoever was after it might be another risky venture. 

An hour and a half ran off the clock and Lara returned to reality. Did Sam and Jonah know about this too? If they didn’t, and she told them she would head out and start looking for more information on the Shards, then they would immediately follower her. That was a given. While many times in the past Lara had tried swaying her friends from following her, out of concern for her safety, they were the ones who got into tight spots more than she. No matter where she went, they were as interested in learning more about archeological legends as Lara was.

Her phone rang as she just started typing on her laptop. She didn’t she forgot it, and jogged out of her father’s study into the fireplace room, where it rang persistently on the sofa. 

“Hello?”

“Lara, it’s Sam. Jonah and I found something that might catch your attention. We finished a bowling game and got lunch when Jonah caught an.... interesting newspaper heading at a newspaper stand,” she said.

“Okay. Come on over and we can discuss it. Let me guess...it has something to do with archeology?” She said.

“The short answer is yes. The long answer is...this is something you won’t believe has actually happened.”

“Hmmm...alright. See you soon. Actually, can you give me a hint? Who is it about?”

Sam was quiet for a couple seconds, then spoke a word that caused her to gulp.

“Trinity.”


	3. Chapter 3

“So what does it say? Is it the next step, or a dead end?”

““Haven’t gotten there yet, sir. Still having difficulty translating it.”

““Don’t take long. We have more to do, and we need to report to the Commander our find.” 

““Yes, sir.” 

“Rogers and McDonnell peered at the parchment scroll, callused fingers running along each line delicately. Although the Commander cared less about what happened to aged scrolls that carried historical information; he desired what they led to. Everything he ever studied in his life, anything that gained him authority and dominance over what he desired, he would stop at nothing to discover it. 

“While McDonnell observed, Rodgers blew dust and bits of dirt from the scroll. The resulting cloud of microscopic debris nearly caused the two soldiers to choke. 

““Ugh...if only this was found in some kind of museum, or some old man’s basement. Might’ve been easier to find, “ McDonnell said. 

““No. It’s better it’s out here.” 

““Why?” 

““If it were in a museum, or some old man’s basement, we would need permission to take it. Out here, well," Rodgers chuckled, "no one would know it was here, or that we found it in the first place. No permission required." 

“True that. But what does it matter if we need permission to take this? We have the authority. No one gets in our way. If they do, they are dealt with accordingly,” said McDonnell. Even if Trinity was a worldwide organization, spending boatloads of money and resources scouring the earth for powerful artifacts, they still kept nearly everything as secretive as they could. What information they let surface in the public's’ eye made them out to be peaceful; they uncover archaeological myths and report to few outlets how they plan on preserving the relics of those myths. Preservation, thought McDonnell. We don’t preserve relics. We learn their power. For the Commander’s good and for all those who follow our footsteps. 

“Rodgers jabbed McDonnells side. “Check this out.” For the past few minutes, he delicately worked the parchment with a brush to clean the remaining dust and dirt. The first several lines of the scroll were nearly faded, years of transportation and storage in different places around Eastern Europe erasing the ages old ink that scribes wrote texts with. But halfway down the writing appeared in better shape. McDonnell removed his rolled up sleeping mat and unrolled it on the flattest spot of forest next to them. 

““What’s it say?" 

On the partially faded parchment was supposedly a clue. A clue to a relic shrouded in legend and myth. This relic had Trinity on their feet once they made the connection between this relic and one recently discovered, but destroyed by the hands of their greatest threat. 

“Not 100% sure. In my free time before I joined Trinity, I studied ancient languages. Didn’t get that far," Rodgers said. 

““Why not?” McDonnell said. 

Rodgers gave him a casual look. “Were it so easy.” 

“Yeah, “McDonnell snorted, “well nothing we ever do is easy. If you can’t read it, then let’s take a hike back to command. Besides, aren’t we supposed to do that anyhow?” 

"We are. I’d wanted the first shot though. But I don’t remember enough from my studies.” 

“Forget your translation attempt, Rodgers. Command will take care of it.” 

“Yes, sir” Rodgers rolled up the scroll and McDonnell his mat. Their Jeep sat parked at the edge of the flat spot on the mountain the scroll was found. This mountain, one of several peaks scattered throughout the breathtaking French Alps, served as the hiding place for followers of yet another ancient “Prophet”, one Trinity thought was connected to the Prophet that created the Divine Source. While work continued on this other Prophet, even finding out whether or not they were one to begin with, the relic they hid, but scattered clues for around Europe, somehow associated itself with the Prophet of the Divine Source. One day a connection will be made; it was only a matter of time. 

Rodgers stored the scroll in a metal cylinder and McDonnell started the Jeep. Base camp was an hour drive away, in the middle of the French Alps. There the Commander and his company of Trinity soldiers divulged the secrets of this relic and its past. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Forty five minutes past as Rodgers and McDonnell arrived back to base. Built inside of a Nazi bunker that Germany used during World War II, Trinity set up a command center for this particular expedition. The man known as the Commander to all soldiers under his command built it up to be a valuable research base and a place to plan and prepare for anything that came their way. Since renovating it 8 months prior flipped it from a junkyard of broken radios, coding machines, and vehicle parts to something barely worthy of a command base, discovering the myth of the Shards was a major turning point. Even the Commander himself felt frustrated; so much time slipped by and little progress had been produced. This time, they made their first step in discovering that terrifying, awesome power. 

The flagstone courtyard welcomed itself to the Jeep and its two passengers. A rusty flagpole centered itself amongst the grey and cream stones; presumably once flew a Nazi flag. Rodgers and McDonnell parked and hopped out, grabbing the steel cylinder storing the scroll. 

While the entrance to the base bared peeling concrete and chunks out of one side, the inside was an entirely different story. Large wood crates of ammunition, food, and other supplies lined the walls of the entrance, with assault rifles, machine guns, and pistols stacked on top. A few steps farther and they entered the center of the base. Similar to the base that the late Trinity commander Konstantin built, a large metal table stood in the center, with maps, papers, and two tablet computers. On the walls behind the table, and on the sides of the room, several large computer monitors relayed detailed information, such as geographical data, research of people they thought carried information to their cause, military movements, and any resistance movements from unexpected groups of people defending what they thought should stay hidden from the world. Two walkie-talkies lay on another crate in a corner next to a set of screens, and three mobile power generators lay against the wall the the left of the table. 

The two men casually walked to the table, where four other soldiers stood surrounding it. The tallest and burliest of the bunch, faced Rodgers and McDonnell, peering down at a topography map of the mountain range and at another map they didn’t recognize. They approached and waited in silence for their turn to report. A few seconds past and the Commander’s eyes glanced up, then he raised his head. Very few knew the Commander’s real name, and those that did didn’t share it while amongst other soldiers like this. He bore striking resemblance to Konstantin, but with a deeper voice, somewhat large ears, green eyes, and was a few inches taller than Konstantin was. Not to mention a larger physique. 

“Ah... Rogers and McDonnell. What have you found?” 

“Exactly what you said we would find, sir. Another clue.” He reached across the table and handed the Commander the foot and a half long metal cylinder. The Commander unscrewed the cap and delicately took out the parchment scroll. 

He let out a small laugh and grinned. “At last we have it. Good work.” He unrolled the scroll and laid it softly on the table. One of his subordinates watched from across the table next to McDonnell, and the Commander motioned to him. “Can you decipher this?” 

“I can try,” he said. For a long minute his eyes swept side to side, up and down. Much of the writing near the top was faded, as Rodgers knew. The subordinate slowly shook his head. “ As a whole, no sir. The writing is faded in several places, as you can see. But I can pick out a handful of words.” 

“Go right ahead, Private. What can you read?” 

“In order to’...uh…’enter’…hmm...once spoke’. That's it, sir.” 

“It’s not enough, but it’s a start. Why don’t we try the deciphering software? I thought we might skip that step if we could do it ourselves, but no worry. Its secrets will be ours to unfold, before anyone else.” 

A large, bulky scanning machine placed next to one of the tall, rectangular computer towers was the only way they were going to read the scroll. The Commander lifted the top, laid the parchment across the scanner, and shut it. He signaled to the computer tech soldier in a seat to his left to run the scanning program. It digitally copied the scroll into the computer and displayed it on one of several monitors. The deciphering program, designed by Trinity engineers, began working straight away. While the monitor on the wall didn’t show how the program worked, the result was evident in just 20 seconds. The Commander grinned and rubbed his hands together. His low pitched voice rumbled with admiration. 

“In order to find what you seek, enter the Land that once flowed with the tongue of Prophecy, from those that once spoke old Farsi . There you will embark on a journey to discover a power of which only few can contain.” 

Everyone in the room stared at the monitor, contemplating the words, or watched the Commander. The question hung in the air like mist waiting for sunshine to burn it away. 

“Anyone have a thought?” The Commander spoke. 

“Somewhere in Europe?” One soldier piped up. 

“East Asia?” Another said. 

“North Africa?” 

“None of those areas are remotely close, gentlemen.” The Commander closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. “ Those of you that were stationed with Trinity as they worked to locate Kitezh, where were you?” 

“Persia and Siberia,” Rodgers said. 

The Commander pointed and smiled at Rogers. “Correct, Sergeant. Where the Byzantine Empire flourished. Thats where we start.” 

At that moment, a Corporal with a communications headset sprinted into the room. From the look on his face, all the soldiers in the room knew it had to be troublesome. 

“Commander, there is a problem.” 

“Please elaborate, Corporal.” 

“Sir, the spy group you set up in Syria? All but one are dead.” 

The Commander’s eyes nearly burst out of his skull. 

“With respect, Sir, what should they have dealt with?” 

He looked up from the table his hands gripped, turning pearly white. 

“The Remnant has discovered us. I sent a team of four to the area surrounding an old tomb Konstantin raided three months ago in Syria. That tomb belonged to the Prophet that constructed the Divine Source.” 

“Rodgers and McDonnell?” He eyed the two men intently. 

“Sir.” They responded. 

“Prepare the men. We’re moving out to Syria. Pack everything in the trucks and trailers. We leave in two days for the airfield.”


	4. Chapter 4

“You’ve gotta be kidding me.” Lara’s hands shook, but her friends didn’t take notice. 

“I wish I was. Whatever they’ve got this time might be worse than our last outing,” Jonah said. 

Lara stood agast in the kitchen. Jonah and Samantha held a cup of apple cider, facing Lara opposite her around the kitchen island. They watched her, waiting an outburst of anger they would need to calm down. It came as both fists slamming on the island so hard Lara’s hands bruised. Jonah and Samantha exchanged glances; they hated seeing her hearing about this, possibly even going through it again. But Trinity was at large again, and no one else but her and her friends cared enough to go after them. The archeology portion of the newspaper reported Trinity had discovered a possible clue to a relic of the past. 

“Reports say the Middle East and European sectors of Trinity’s operations had located an ancient scroll written during the reign of the Byzantine Empire. Their sources remain unknown, but Trinity is widely known for their extensive, and sometimes brutal, methods for uncovering objects of power ‘no one should wield, and ought to be placed in museums or in government hands’ “, the print read. “We attempted to reach out for more from Trinity, but as normal they keep information closely secret.” 

“Like hell they do,” Lara said, taking a large gulp of her apple cider. 

“Okay, Lara. I’m pretty lost.” Samantha rolled her eyes. “What’s this all about?” 

“You might not believe me if I told you.” 

“Try us,” Jonah said, eyes twinkling with confidence. 

Sure, Lara trusted her two best friends with anything, but this was something she didn’t think they would remotely believe her on. Even she didn’t fully trust the myths truth. But one way or another, they would find out. 

“I believe this correlates with my visions.” 

“Visions?” Jonah said immediately. “What visions?” 

“Oh... oops. Forgot to mention that.” Lara took another big gulp of her apple cider, then refilled it with the glass bottle on the island. “Last night I woke up in the middle of the night to a vision. Or a dream. I don’t really know how to put it into words. Could’ve been both for all I care. “ 

“Ok. It started out with me in my father's’ study room. I could've been that old...probably 9 or 10. He spoke on his cell phone to someone...I couldn’t hear the conversation that well, but he mentioned something called ‘Shards’. The next moment a private planes’ rotary motors hummed in the sky. I saw myself sat in a seat, gazing out into the grey sky. Only, it wasn’t me. It was also my father. Once more he brought up these ‘Shards’ “. Lara gulped more cider, then turned to the lengthy kitchen window, strings of moss hanging like leeches on the outside corners. “The last thing I saw was him and a group of men, those that he would go on expeditions with. Basically his personal expeditionary force in case he ran into any bad guys. Well, several Trinity men surrounded him, including Konstantin. They had found him and whatever he was searching for. He demanded to know where whatever he was looking for was. My dad didn’t know, or he was hiding it. Konstandin then chambered his assault rifle. That’s when I woke up.” 

Jonah and Samantha looked at her with astonishment. “Woah. Thats wild.” He said. 

“Tell me about it.” Lara said. In that moment, she made the connection. “Don’t tell me this newspaper heading has something to do with what I saw.” 

“Sounds like it does,” Jonah said. The suspicion festering in the back of Jonah’s mind was growing. “That seems too coincidental, but based off what we experienced last time, I wouldn’t doubt Trinity.” 

“Neither do I, Jonah, but if I am right, what they are after could potentially be catastrophic.” Lara felt her breathing quicken. She looked to her friends, then past them, as if already searching for a solution to a problem that hasn’t manifested itself just yet. 

“And what would that be?” Samantha said. Even she looked worried, and Lara hadn’t even explained it to them. “You need to tell us these things, regardless if we aren’t going to like it. Get it out of you head.” 

“Alright. My father has a book on Middle East and European archaeological myths. It's in his study room. There is a section halfway through that details some sort of sword. From what I researched, I think it’s of Persian descent.” 

Jonah and Samantha remained focused on her words, sipping at their cider. They hadn’t drunk as much as Lara had in the past five minutes. 

“The drawing is faded, but it appears to bear markings of some sort of ‘magical power’. Haven’t quite figured it out yet, but my father once devoted time to studying it. Now, since Trinity has supposedly found something, this very sword might be what they are after.” 

“Can’t be a good thing, then.” Samantha said. Jonah nodded in agreement. 

“As it involves Trinity, nothing about it is good. They tried sabotaging the Solari Brotherhood on Yamatai, then attempted to take the Divine Source from me and Jacob, the Remnant leader, before he passed on.” 

“Man, they just love dealing with us when we’re around,” Jonah joked. He was partially right; they had disrupted much of Trinity’s plans when they were helped by The Remnant to locate the Divine Source. 

“Seems like we’re the only ones that try to put an end to their schemes,” Lara said. 

“Except I wasn’t there last time,” Samantha noted. 

“Good thing, too. Jonah nearly died. If you were with us, Samantha...I hate saying this, but you might not have survived.” Lara said. 

Samantha looked down and frowned. “Yeah, you’re right. But this time is different, if you believe what Trinity is after.” She firmly set her cider glass on the table and looked sharply into Lara’s eyes before she could object. 

“I know what you’re going to say. That I am much safer away from that stuff. But why Jonah? Because he is bigger, stronger, smarter, and tougher?” Samantha snapped. Lara hadn’t expected this from her; she usually was okay laying back until Jonah and her returned from a trip. Except Yamatai, of course. 

“Sam... what’s gotten into you?” Lara’s concerned look half calmed Samantha down, but her eyes still asked the same questions. “Yes, that's why. Look, you are the closest thing I have to a sister. You nearly died on Yamatai, and you want to risk that possibility again? “ 

“You don’t know what could happen. Neither do I. But I love what you do, and it’s always peaked my interest. Thats one reason I joined you and Jonah with the others on the Yamatai trip. Not just because we thought the Sun Queen carried the possibility of being my ancestor.” 

Lara looked to Jonah, silently observing the conversation after refilling his apple cider cup twice. She cast a gaze to him in hopes of supporting her judgement. He merely looked aside and shrugged. She sighed, squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, and spoke in a quiet tone. “Sam, what might happen could be worse than what you experienced at Yamatai. Much worse.” Her eyes reopened. “You would need to stay close to us whenever possible and stay as far away from dangerous situations as you can. Jonah, you remember the mountain climb in Siberia?” 

“Can’t forget it.” He rumbled. 

“After I fell off the icy cliff and slid down that part of the mountain, what did you think happened to me?” 

“Thought you were gone. But that didn’t stop me from hoping you were safe...somehow. You are much tougher than I thought. Always have been.” His confidence in her resilience and survivability sometimes felt like overconfidence, Lara thought. Was it because he has a soft spot for me? Because he’s like the brother I never had, and it was his obligation to safeguard and shelter me? While she appreciated those gestures, the possibility of him having feelings had never dawned on her before. One day she might bring it up. 

“Sam, I found Jonah captured by Trinity in an old Soviet mining facility. The leader in that area, Konstantin, stabbed Jonah. He nearly died in my hands. That could happen to you if you join him and I, wherever we go this time.” 

Samantha looked to the table and gently rubbed the edge. “But do you know if that will happen again to Jonah? What if it does, and he doesn’t make it?” Jonah threw her a surprised look. “Sorry, but I had to bring it up.” 

He waved the comment aside.“Its fine.You have a good point, Sam. Anything can happen at any moment. But that is not going to stop me from lending a hand. That’s the risk Lara and I... and you… take. Me? Heh well I have just gotten lucky. Too lucky. I honestly thought Konstantin would take that knife and put a few more marks on me to antagonize Lara further. But nope; his ego got the best of him.” 

“That and he underestimated the situation.” Lara exhaled a deep breath. “I am glad it didn’t get any worse. Silence filled the kitchen for a few seconds; Lara preferred not to speak about the Siberia trip. What Konstantin and Ana said about her father nearly set her over the edge. 

"Alright. Sam, you can join us this time,” she said reluctantly. “ I’ll give you the means to defend yourself in case we run into Trinity, which I’m sure we will. But you must follow our lead.” 

A massive grin flew across Samantha’s mouth. “Thank you, Lara. That’s all I want.” 

“It’s settled, then?” Jonah said. 

“Yep.” Lara felt excited to have both best friends join her, but she would have to do more to protect them this time around. 

“So...what of this sword? Know anything about it?” Jonah said. 

“Not much. My father has a book with a couple of details. Other than that, I have theories that could show us where it came from. Even I don’t fully understand those.” Lara said. Growing up, her father had many of the relics she desired to discover already studied; notes on possible locations, people to learn information from, and potential obstacles. This happened to be the first time she had next to nothing to start out with. 

“Say, you want something to eat? Its fifteen after. Let’s make some sandwiches, then prepare to leave. And I’ll call my father’s private travel agent. He’s told me he’ll always have a plane on hand for me.” Lara suggested. 

“Yeah...sure.” Jonah said. “Wait...is this guy one of your father’s friends?” 

“He is. Also happens to be a friend of my uncle. Haven’t spoke to him in years, though” 

“Ok. Let’s get food made, then pack up. By the way, where are we starting?” Jonah said. 

The question hung in the air for several moments before Lara came to a decision. “The Prophet’s Tomb. I have a theory that might be proven true if we begin there.” 

Jonah nodded. “And where’s that at?” Samantha said. 

“Syria.” 

_____________________________________ 

The corner of the brick wall exploded above Rodger’s head as he took cover. Chunks of orange brick bounced off the top of his head as he worked on unjamming his modified G-36 assault rifle. The slide wouldn’t retract, so as more of the wall next to him disintegrated, he yanked the magazine out, fingered out a stubborn shell, reinserted the magazine and racked the slide. McDonnell fired his own G-36 next to him, barely visible from the corner of the wall. A Remnant fighter just hit by several rounds from the soldiers opposite Rodgers, dropping like bowling ball. Rogers brought his weapon to bear, and fired a short burst down the road to his left. That fighter dropped a large bow. McDonnell tapped his shoulder and signalled him forward, Rodgers creeping out around the corner. The three soldiers across the road followed. Seconds later, five more Trinity members appeared. 

Rodgers and McDonnell made it two blocks up the road, as the rest of the squad followed. Eyes on alert for ground targets and snipers, the soldiers paused at the curve of the road. The squad attentively eyed windows and corners. Two soldiers fired shots to the roof of the building three stories above him and McDonnell. As they passed in front, a large house with an empty fruit stand, a grenade dropped into the fruit stand. McDonnell yanked Rodgers and threw him forward, nearly clipping the houses’ stone corner with his head. They ducked behind the wall as a deafening explosion ripped the fruit stand to shreds, scattering wood clippings. The others gazed at them. One clicked his throat radio, a signal asking McDonnell if they were fine. He nodded and got to his feet. Rodgers blinked and shook his head as he stood up; that was too close. 

Just as a soldier across the road yelled “RPG!”. Both Rodgers and his squadmate looked over as a wall in front of the soldier blew up. He flew backwards and slammed against a hay wagon. Two soldiers following behind raced up to him. As he regained his awareness, shots rang from a doorway two blocks away across the road and ripped through his chest. 

Rodgers grimaced, but he couldn’t stop. Him and the others had the Remnant fighters on the run. Down the road ahead, more resistance appeared. Hidden archers from windows fired volleys of broadhead arrows. Assault rifles peppered walls and doorways. Two more rooftop snipers waited the perfect moment to plant a bullet in a Trinity soldier. A soldier took an arrow to the arm, but continued to fire.McDonnell fired rounds from a distance to an archer in a two story window, and above that soldier with an RPG. A second too late. The RPG launched and skimmed over McDonnell’s head. 

As Rodgers and the rest advanced, the resisting Remnant fighters dropped like flies. Many began retreating. At the curve ahead, a larger group of Remnant fighters spread across the entrance to a road leading out of the city. Right where we thought they’d be, Rodgers thought. This road led up into the mountains, into the once secret passages that opened up into their long-deceased Prophet’s Tomb. Or what was left of it. 

Rodgers and the others laid down controlled bursts of fire. Remnant fighters continued to drop, or find a boulder to take cover and return fire. They retreated as fast as they could up the steadily inclining road, just wide enough for a Trinity military Jeep and two soldiers flanking it. If it not for the rocks and large boulders, Rodgers and the others would have an easy time dispatching the rest of the Remnant fighters. 

One fighter brave enough threw a throwing knife. It bounced harmlessly off a rock next to McDonnell. Another fired a pistol. The cry of it drilling through a Trinity soldiers’ shoulder was barely heard above the gunfire, which quickly declined. 

Three minutes later Rodgers, McDonnell and the remaining Trinity soldiers chased the remaining Remnant fighters to the road. The only thing here, other than a good view of the surrounding mountain ranges, were barren rock walls. No secret opening, Rodgers noticed. 

The Remnant righters look frantically around for escape. They could jump off the slope of the mountain a few meters behind, or they could surrender. A sharp, booming voice rang behind everyone: the Commander had arrived. Flanked in his Jeep transport by two Trinity soldiers, one carrying a longbow he approached the group of friendlies and enemies. 

“HALT!” 

Everyone turned to lay eyes on the Commander. Rodgers, McDonnell and the others lowered their weapons. McDonnell dropped an empty clip from his assault rifle and reloaded. 

The Commander walked slowly, with a certain swagger. He handed his modified assault rifle to a soldier, then scrutinized the remaining fighters. 

“Look at you. So desperate to save what is lost. So stubborn….and weak...to defend what is mythic and no longer exists. “ 

He scanned the group. One Remnant fighter had his arm around his fellow soldier, a hole in his left thigh. Layers of dust and defeat filled their faces. 

“I know what is up here,” the Commander continued, “I have already found another clue elsewhere. But I am confident you can show me more. Unless you’d rather surrender, or die.” 

“Why would we join your cause? All’s you do is seek power, then destroy those who defended it?” 

The Commander took a couple steps forward. “If I didn’t just seek power, all of you would last much longer. Tell me,” looking for the one who spoke,” who are you?” 

A younger looking woman stepped from the middle of the crowd. “I am Sophia, Leader of the Remnant.” Above average height for a woman her age, she wore a mix of modern military clothing and traditional, woodland hunting attire. “We defend what we believe is true and faithful.” 

“I, too, defend the faithful. But not in your ways.” The Commander said. “You probably don’t know why I am here, so I’ll get to it. Here, in this hole, lies one of many clues to the whereabouts of an object of ancient legend. Quite similar to that ‘Divine Source’ Konstantin unnecessarily struggled to obtain. It has relations to your long dead, ill-fated Prophet. I want it, because I know you won’t use it according to its original purpose. Instead it lies in pieces, waiting for the day its remade and potential unleashed.” 

Sophia stared at him with daggers and slowly shook her head. “You don’t have a clue to what you are after.” 

“I do, and you know how to lead me to it,” he said. 

Sophia’s voice hardened. “I won’t. You cannot control it. Even if you found it, you have no clue what it truly is.” 

The Commander shifted into a slow, side to side pace. “Your stubbornness will come back to you one day, and you will regret it.” He exhaled and drew a deep breath, drawing himself to his full height. “Its simple. If you don’t tell me…” From his hip holster slid out a sleek revolver, handle wrapped in black leather, the hammer clicking heavily in the silence. The barrel aimed at Sophia’s abdomen. She stood straight as a stone pillar. 

“I guess we do things the hard way.” 

A loud crack echoed off the rocks and the nearby mountains. Sophia dropped to the ground, dark blood trickling from the hole just below her sternum. “Lets finish things here. The clue, gentlemen, is here. If they won’t reveal it, they pay the price. Weapons free.” 

Assault rifles crackled. The Remnant defenders fell one by one like flies. Blood formed large pools and slithered down the road. 

“Men, let’s tear this tomb apart stone by stone,” the Commander said. “Rodgers...you look lost.” Rodgers stared at the tomb’s stone walls, then cast his gaze to his leader. “Sir, what about the other clue?” 

“Yes, that one. Since the only way for the Remnants to know about this is no longer available, we shouldn’t run into any more problems. Unless more local natives step onto our path. Fortunately, the natives that live in this city already deserted parts of it. All thanks to our Remnant leader.” He paused. “Hmm..I guess they predicted this kind of attack. Intelligence appears to be on their side as well....for the moment. “ He turned to Rodgers. “The clue that lies here tells us not how to find the relic, but of the other possible relics their fabled Prophet possessed.” A cynical grin crossed his face. “Of which all of them will be ours.” He strode back to the command Jeep and sat in the driver’s seat. 

“First we need explosives. Lots of it.”

________________________________________________________ 

They were five minutes from the city. Lara sat in the front passenger seat while Jonah drove and Samantha ate a granola bar. A beat up 80s Land Rover was the best thing Jonah could uncover when they landed at the nearest Syrian airport. The drive was a bit long, and bumpy, but that gave Lara time to further her studies of the mysterious Shards. 

“Lara, what do you think we’ll find once we’re up there?” Jonah said, barely audible over the bumps of the rough road. 

“Hopefully not Trinity.” Lara cast her gaze out the window. Except for distant orange and red shaded mountain ranges, and the occasional wilted tree, nothing interesting got her attention. Albeit, the mountains seemed like a nice challenge to tackle someday. 

She grimaced and looked at her knees. Jonah look suspiciously at her. “What’s the matter?” 

“Not sure..” she steadily released a breath, “I have a slightly bad feeling about this. Don’t know why, but I feel as if we’re about to spring a trap.” 

“Then it had better be one mouse, not a horde.” 

Jonah rounded a corner at the edge of a plateau, slightly higher elevation than the city they were approaching. 

“Lara…” 

“Oh no. Not good. Jonah, go!” 

Jonah pressed the accelerator. The Land Rover gained speed and threw large dust clouds behind them. Samantha stared through the windshield as the tossed her granola bar wrapper on the floor. Smoke rose from two columns and a distant piece of stone breaking apart further confirmed her suspicions. 

Three minutes passed. Jonah, Lara and Samantha exited the track and surveyed the rubble. Shell casings scattered across the road. A couple houses with gaping holes and a dead body in the front door. A rifle barrel sticking out over a rooftop. Lara jogged over to a body. The dead man wore a mix of wilderness attire and military clothing. Further down the road, more bodies lay strewn on the ground. No, it can’t be, Lara thought. She dropped to her knees, the weight of guilt and anger boiling her blood. One of the bodies was on its stomach. She gingerly rolled it over. Blood dribbled from multiple holes in his chest and legs. There on his collar was the insignia: the Prophet’s symbol. Lara’s breath stuttered, tears rolled down her cheeks. The dead soldier’s eyes were partially open. She delicately closed them. Next to him was a large bow. She retrieved it and ran her hands across it, brushing off dust. Several feet away lay two more bodies. Jonah and Samantha joined her as she walked to a body. 

“What happened here, Lara?” Don’t tell me its Trinity.” Samantha said slowly. 

Lara didn’t respond for a few moments. “It is.” 

“Lara, there are more up that road. I’m going to take a look.” Jonah said. Even as he tried not to, his voice strained with empathy. 

Lara and Samantha followed Jonah to the road several meters away. Samantha whispered something, but didn’t repeat it. Every several steps up the road lay more Remnant soldiers. Lara went silent as if she was listening for something. 

“Jonah...Samantha...hear that?” 

They strained their ears. “Barely”, Jonah said. Samantha nodded. 

Someone lived. 

Lara started sprinting up the road, Jonah and Samantha behind her. A couple Trinity soldiers lay amongst the dead Remnant fighters. At least they took some of them with them, Lara thought. 

She reached the top of the road well before Jonah and Samantha did. The pool of blood and the bodies nearly made her gag. An entire group of Remnant soldiers gone. The bloodlust was fiery in Lara’s bones. 

It was Sophia. 

“Oh no...Sophia! What happ- hold on. The blood’s clotting, but I need bandages and morphing.” She called to Jonah, just about caught up to her. “Jonah...it's Sophia. The Remnant leader. She’s shot. “ 

Jonah jogged up to Lara and Sophia, kneeling down and assessing her wound. “I have a couple bandages in my pack, but Samantha will need to bring the truck up here.” He found Samantha next to him. “Sam, hurry and get the truck. There is a medic back we need. Quick!” 

“Sure. I’ll be quick.” 

She returned in a few short minutes. Jonah managed to stop the bleeding a little. Lara removed her military attire and undressed her to her top half undergarments. 

“Thanks Sam. Very helpful.” Samantha dropped the large medic bad next to Sophia’s side. 

She nodded. “What can I do to help?” 

“Nothing yet.” 

Lara and her observed as Jonah found bandages, blood clotting powder and morphing. His large hands applying pressure to the bleeding wound. Sophia squirmed a bit, groaning from the pressure. “GAWW...geez that hurt like a-” 

“Hold still,” Lara soothed, gripping Sophia’s free hand. 

Minutes later, the wound clotted. Sophia’s groans and aches lessened, but the intense pain stayed. Samantha retrieved one of her water bottles and helped her take a few gulps. Sophia exhaled quickly, trying to calm her breath. 

“Do you --urgh….you have a w-wet cloth?” Sophia stuttered, eyeing Samantha. 

“Yeah….here.” Samantha motioned to Jonah, and he got a cotton towel from the medic bag. She soaked it with the remainder of the water bottle. It felt like heaven against her forehead and face as Samantha delicately cleaned her. 

“Thank you so much...I would have died if it not for you three. If only you showed up earlier, though... it might have changed what happened.” She coughed and gazed at them. “But that brings me to my next thought: what the heck are you doing here?” 

Jonah dropped more sticks on the fire, its heat rising to fill the chill desert night as he sat on his sleeping pad. The back of the Jeep was cleared out; Lara moved her and the others’ belongings near the soothing flames. Samantha and Jonah lay near the fire, trying to fall asleep. Lara leaned against one of the walls of the flat, cool cargo space, cleaning Sophia’s wound. The day could’ve been much worse, Lara thought. What should’ve been a quiet trip to Syria turned on its side very quickly. Still, it wasn’t a total loss. Sophia lay on Lara’s sleeping pad, sleeping soundly. The morphing knocked her out cold. Good thing too. Sophia needed to recover as quickly as possible. 

Lara’s eyes fluttered. Her shoulders slouched and head rested toward the fire. Its calming presence flickered across her face. Jonah stirred and Samantha turned over, sleeping on opposite sides of the fire. By the time dawn rose, the fire was little more than thin curl of black smoke and charred bits of wood. 

“Lara.. Lara. Hey, lets wake up.” Samantha gently jiggled Lara’s shoulder. She groggily woke up, blinking away the restful night. Lara turned to Sophia. The quarter sized hole was stitched closed, as was the exit wound in her lower back. Jonah did a good job with what they had. 

“Good morning, Sam. Sleep well?” 

“Reasonably well, yeah. Except for the solid rock, I am surprised I even slept at all, given what happened yesterday.” 

Lara nodded and let out a large yawn. “True.” She looked past Samantha and saw Jonah walk up to the Jeep with a couple of energy bars and water bottles. He wore his plain grey undershirt and khaki pants. 

“Here. While we don’t have a nice bed and breakfast out here, it’s better than nothing.” He chuckled. 

“Thanks Jonah” both girls said. Jonah had driven the Jeep back down the road they found Sophia and parked in the middle of a road. He gathered pieces of wood littered around the homes and buildings yesterday’s battle had left behind. While the girls ate the energy bars, Lara checked Sophia’s stitches again. They held up nicely, though the wound needed a gentle washing. 

“Jonah, good job on the stitches. I didn’t know you could do that. Where’d you learn how to stitch?” Lara said. 

“Oh, well when I fished a lot, I needed to patch nets up. Over time I became interested in stitching up wounds. They kind of work hand in hand, right? “ 

“They do.” Lara and Sam nodded. Samantha looked at Sophia’s wound, a grim frown spreading on her lips. 

“Sam, you alright?” Lara said. 

Samantha shrugged and looked to Sophia’s wound.“It’s just hard to see what happened here without tearing up. What ever happened to the other soldiers was probably pretty horrific.” 

“Speaking of which, what did happened?” Jonah said. 

“I’ll wake Sophia up.” Lara took a gulp of water from the half empty aluminum bottle and handed it to Samantha. She gently scooted the sleeping mat she lay on to the edge of the Jeep as they stepped out. Samantha returned her her water bottle. 

“Sophia...hey. Its Lara. You’re alright.” 

A cloudy-eyed Sophia blinked awake. Immediately she reached for her stomach and growled in slight pain. 

“It’s not as bad as before. Still... I feel I got knocked out.” She glanced at the other two, eyebrows raised. “What are you guys doing here, Lara? Good job with the stitches, whoever did that.” 

“Jonah. He cleaned it up well. The bullets’ out as well.” 

Jonah spoke in a low voice. “Whoever shot you had serious firepower .44 magnum round I’d guess.” 

“You don’t say, heh.” Sophia said. She strained to sit up, but Lara forced her to relax. 

“Stay down for a bit. Tell us what happened. Why are so many of your people dead. You’re lucky to not have joined them.” 

“You’re not gonna like this. Okay, before I tell you that, I should say why we were here in the first place. Once Trinity failed to take control of the Divine Source, thanks to your intervening actions, my people decided they would not simple retreat. We assumed another military commander would take Konstantin's place and go after something else. Something even they didn’t know about for years. Now, I presume you’ve found out what they are after and want to stop them?" 

Lara nodded. “Thats right.” Samantha and Jonah finished eating their breakfast bars and sipped water as Sophia continued. 

“Well, we figured they might try looking inside the Prophet’s tomb for answers. But not in a respectful manner. So, we posted spies across the city and waited. I came from Siberia to check on them when they attacked. We outnumbered them, but they were heavily armed. They hit us almost silently. Our guards to the north entrance barely noticed them in time for us to respond. After Trinity eliminated our lookouts, they drove forward, stopping at nothing. We threw as much at them as we could. I grouped a last stand at the top of the road that lead to a back entrance to the cave. Different from what you found last you were here. Their leader approached and taunted us. His men backed us to the edge of the road, a cliff side that dropped a long ways. They opened fire after I was shot. You showed up later and saved my life. I am in your debt for that.” 

Sophia took a gulp of water from Lara’s bottle. “You’ve discovered the legend of Risen,” 

“If that’s what you call it, then yes.” Lara said. Risen didn’t sound like what she expected it to be. Then again, what it really was was still a mystery to her and the others. 

“So, what is ‘Risen’?” Jonah said. “A prophecy? Some weapon? Another lost city under ice?” 

“You’re getting close.” Sophia pointed out. 

“At my home in England, my father had a book of drawings with relics he sought after. Some I searched for myself when I felt it jeopardized people’s safety. Many I searched for because their history was incredibly fascinating,“ Lara said. “At the end of his book, the final drawing was faded in places, as were some of the other drawings and notes. It resembled a large, two handed sword with intricate details. Also on the page my father labeled it ‘the sword of the Risen’. Could this be what Trinity is after?” 

Sophia frowned. “Not sure.” 

“What do you know about it?” Lara said. 

“Actually, not a lot. The Prophet didn’t pass down much information regarding its origin. Say, I don’t mean to take more than necessary, but do you have water and another of those bars to spare?” 

Jonah nodded and handed her another bar. Lara opened her a fresh water bottle. 

“Thank you.” 

“You’re very welcome,” Lara said. “I just realized you don’t even know who these two are.” She nodded toward Sam and Jonah. “The big guy is Jonah. And this is Samantha.” 

Sam and Jonah walked to Sophia and shook hands. 

Sophia smiled at them. “A pleasure to meet you both. Are they siblings?” 

“Not quite. They’re my two best friends. Jonah I’ve known since I was a child. Samantha for a little less time.” 

“Its nice to have family outside your normal blood relatives,” Sophia said. “When blood relatives aren’t around, close friends are the next best thing for whatever the need.”


	5. Chapter 5

Desert air was much warmer now. Morning light crept over the nearby mountains. The small flame of the campfire shrunk as beams of sun lit the stone road. Lara helped Sophia get up and dress with her military apparel. Sophia grunted as she carefully stretched her ab muscles. Jonah and Samantha left the fire to burn out and gathered their supplies. They drove up the road that led them to the tomb’s rear entrance. 

At the top, Sophia got out of the back seat and walked to the bodies of her soldiers. The blood was dry and the bodies strewn about. Arms and legs flung over each other. She walked silently to the center, her shoes staining with blood. Sophia knelt on a knee and bowed, eyes closed. A single tear glided down her face, turned away from her rescuers. While she was a military leader, she couldn’t bear to have Lara and the others see her like this. Men, she thought, I am proud to had led you. You proved over and over your strength and love to the Remnant cause. The Prophet would be pleased with your determination to keep his people alive. Now, be at peace. May the Prophet bless you and the ones you leave behind. Sophia lightly kissed her fingers and laid them upon the body in front of her. 

She stood back up and looked at Lara. “I am sorry. I had too.” 

“No, it’s perfectly fine,” Lara said. “They were good men. Their sacrifice honorable. If I may say, that was a beautiful thing you did.” 

Sophia grinned. “Thank you, Lara.” She walked to the wall. In the middle were large, crumbled stones. “Seems as if Trinity got in, but tried to block us out. Hmm...Lets try moving them.” 

Jonah wore a skeptical look. “Uhh, those are pretty heavy stones. I could try, but I may not be able to move them. Not even the four of us.” He glanced to the Jeep. 

“Lets use the truck. The winch should be plenty of power.” 

“Good idea,” Lara said. Jonah grabbed the hook and looked for a place in the wall. 

“Jonah, up here,” Samantha said. The gouge curled behind the highest rock. 

“Good eye.” The hook grabbed. Jonah tugged slightly, reassuring the hold. He turned on the Jeep and shifted into a steady reverse. 

After several seconds, the stones thudded out of the wall. Jonah exited the Jeep and joined the women at the tomb’s entrance. 

“I wonder if Trinity forgot they dropped most of the ceiling on me last time they were here,” Lara said. 

“Then why would they come back?” Sophia said. 

“Trinity forgot to look under the rug?” Jonah said. 

“Actually,” Sophia glanced at Jonah, “that’s exactly what they forgot. Anyhow, I hope you guys are ready for some climbing and lifting. Lots of big stones that fell after what happened last time Lara was here.” 

“I'm sure she’s ready,” Jonah joked. “I’m not so sure about Sam here. She’s a beginner.” 

“Oh pshh... thanks Jonah.” Samantha gently nudged Jonah. 

“I’ll go behind you three. Lara, you taking lead?” Jonah said. 

“Sure.” 

Lara stepped in front, at the mouth of a tunnel bathed in darkness. Cobwebs etched their way along the walls, filling carved out sections of stone that were littered with bones and swords. Skeletons with chest armor hooked on ribs, some with swords in what were their hands. A couple with broadhead arrows sticking from heads and legs. 

“Lara, here’s a flashlight.” Samantha reached forward and slid the aluminum cylinder in Lara’s hand. 

She clicked it on, the tunnel illuminated. Perhaps the first time in centuries this area of the Prophet’s Tomb was lit. Its light played between fine and thick spiderwebs, glinted off dusty swords and armor plating. 

They walked cautiously down the path. It curved sharply downhill. Along the sides were more carved out sections. Many of them held splintered pottery and more swords. A couple skulls rested in one. 

“Lara, who died here?” Samantha asked. 

“Probably many of the Prophet’s soldiers, “ Lara said. “And some Trinity Knights.” 

“Trinity’s been around for that long? Wow.” 

“Indeed they have. You guys alright back there? Sophia, how’re you feeling?” Lara said. 

“We’re good, “ Jonah answered for him and Samantha. 

“Sore, but better than before,” Sophia answered. “Jonah, you might want to change out the stitches after we’re out of the tomb. Or just check on them.” 

“I can do that.” 

The path began to shed light. It leveled out and opening to the tomb glimmered. Lara clicked off the flashlight and returned it to Samantha as they stepped out of the tunnel. A massive stone dome was once the top of the tomb. It lay in pieces on top and around the water filled tomb grounds. From the looks of it, the river water that partially flooded the tomb when Lara first found it had evaporated or drained, leaving an easier path to what remained of the coffin. 

They stood at the edge of the hole the done once covered. At the other side, stone pillars held the weight of the mountain, the city in the background still 

“So, how’re we getting down?” Jonah said, checking the edge and walls for handholds. 

Lara pointed to the left side of the hole. “There. The gouges in that wall look good.” 

“I wish we brought climbing ropes,” Samantha said. She cast a look around the domed room. “Climbing was never something I caught onto easily.” 

“That’s why I brought this.” Jonah unslung the long, black braided rope from his shoulder from his waist and handed it to Lara.” 

“This makes things easier. Thanks Jonah.” 

He nodded back."I'll hold the rope while you three go down. Ill hook it to the stone so I can meet you at the coffin.” 

Lara grabbed an end and slowly traversed downwards. Sophia went next. Samantha followed. Jonah hooked the rope to the edge of the stone hole and met the girls below. 

“Thats a lot of stone to move,” Samantha noted. Some pieces were small enough, but many large enough that Jonah could barely budge them. 

“We aren’t moving all of it. What we can do it shove some off the sides of the coffin area into the water,” Lara said. “Sophia, you said there was something Trinity, and even me, missed last time. What might that be?” 

“Its something that even my people don’t know much about. It was passed down from the Prophet that he hid a scroll in his tomb. In the most obvious place, one even Trinity would miss.” 

“Where? In the coffin itself?” 

“You’re quick,” Sophia said. “Thats right. There is a compartment in the coffin. And I have the way in.” She removed a small stone key from her hip pocket. A blue sapphire diamond ingrained into the handle glittered in the sun. The key itself was granite. Probably carved from a highly resilient piece that could stand the test of time. 

Lara stared at the key, eyes like tennis balls. 

“Sophia, I’ve read about those. They’re so rare.” She walked to Sophia, standing in front of the remains of the coffin. Sophia handed it to Lara. From the look on Sophia’s face, she wasn’t surprised in the slightest. 

Lara flipped the key over in her hand and gently rubbed it. The diamond shown brilliantly when reflecting sunlight. A perfectly cut, pentagonal diamond. The stone the key was carved from felt lightweight in her palms. 

“Where did you get a diamond like this?” she said. 

“The Prophet was gifted this by a religious group who converted to his beliefs. They saw him as a king. The only one made, and for one purpose.” She grinned softly. Lara handed it back. 

“Jonah, would you mind removing these stones?” Sophia said, pointing to the two chunks covering two thirds of the stone coffin. 

“Sure.” Jonah handedly pulled them off. Small bits fell off the back of the coffin, but the rest remained. Under all that weight from the collapsing dome, Jonah was surprised the coffin was still standing. 

“This is what happens when the enemy neglects the finer details,” Sophia chuckled. She walked up a step to the front of the coffin and bent over the side. The sound of stone grinding on stone filled the air. A section on the front of the platform slid down, no bigger than a foot and a half. Revealing itself for the first time in centuries was a parchment scroll. Sophia rose from the coffin and retrieved it, sweeping bits of dust off with her hand. 

“The Prophet barely spoke of this, from what our ancestors passed down. Because he kept it a secret from all but his closest advisors, nothing is known other than it, hopefully, describes what you’re looking for.” She gingerly handed it to Lara, who slowly unfolded its aged edges. Jonah and Samantha held the top while Lara unraveled the rest. The parchment crackled under their fingertips. 

“Woah... that’s interesting.” Jonah remarked. Topping the scroll was an image. A hammer, anvil and piece of metal were glowing, being hammered on by a middle aged man. Above him to his right appeared a faded image of thought: an older man, robed in pearly white linens. His eyes cast down on the man with the hammer and metal. Below that text described the image. 

“Hmmm... darn. I can’t make a direct translation, but I get the idea. Oh my gosh….,” Lara said slowly. She looked to Sophia. 

“The Prophet had a brother.” 

“That’s odd. That was never passed down to us. Over the centuries, our ancestors never mentioned his family, if he had one,” Sophia said. 

“Now I am wondering how much accurate information your ancestors did pass down,” Lara said. 

“Is that the sword you’re father mentioned in his notes?” Samantha said. Even in the vagueness of forgotten information, her curiosity was as strong as Laras. 

“It looks to be that way,” she said. “So, the Prophet had a brother. He forged a sword...for what reason? There has to be more to this, Sophia.” 

Sophia was facing the broken walls of the tomb, contemplating the reasons for the discovery. She was quiet for several seconds before she turned to Lara. 

“I’m sorry. After what happened yesterday, and now this, I have a lot to think about. Not sure how I will address the rest of my people about the deaths of our soldiers, plus speaking of these discoveries.” 

“Sounds like that the next best thing,” Lara said. “Lets pack up and return to your home. I bet you have books or scrolls that can tell us more.” 

“We do. They’re hidden, but I know how to access them.” 

Lara nodded. “It’s a bit of a drive back to the airport. Let’s get going.” 

They all ascended the rope and made their way back through the tunnels. The bodies of the fallen Remnant soldiers turned a pale white, the pools of blood drying up in the desert heat. Jonah started up the Jeep after checking on Sophia’s stitches, the girls filling the rest of the seats. The road back would be at least a couple days, so Lara and the others could catch time to think about their findings. Why would the Prophet hide his brother from the rest of his people, even his own history? What was Trinity trying to do with this supposed sword. Better yet, why didn’t they find what Lara and the others found. Lots of unanswered questions harbored their way into Lara’s mind. I better find answers to these, or else I might do crazy contemplating them, she thought. More unknown history behind the Prophet and his movement, even his family and enemies. To Lara, the more history about the Prophet that revealed itself, the more she assumed the Prophet hid from his people, for the sake of preserving his faith and keeping information out of potential enemies’ hands. But Lara, with help from Jonah, Samantha and Sophia, would piece together this puzzle. And prevent Trinity from acquiring it.


	6. Chapter 6

A month ago Sophia had set out for the tomb. Desperate to preserve one of a few remainings link to the Prophet she called on others to uphold their duty. Along the way back to Syria, she contacted the handful of other Remnant settlements with the radio equipment Lara brought. They were flung around other parts of Siberia. She explained how important it was to protect their ancient heritage anywhere they lived. So much had been lost to Trinity in years, even centuries, past. Before Lara arrived, they were always finding a way to bring turmoil to the Prophets’ people. If it weren’t for the persistence of Konstantin, Sophia and her father might have had a better chance of cutting Trinity plans short. Konstantin and his men were highly trained soldiers, but they didn’t know the terrain like the Remnants did. 

Sophia radioed to her settlement that she was returning home. Elijah, the man she left in command, told her many were anxious for her. They wanted to know what she found. Sophia had to be prepared to tell of the many deaths, her close call, and the possibility of Trinity seeking the sword. 

Jonah parked the 4x4 next to a lookout tower. Lara helped Sophia get out; the soreness of the bullet wound lingering. Jonah and Samantha carried their backpacks and weapons. A five minute walk though lush green and brown trees, granite rocks, not so distant mountains, catching eye of grazing elk, squirrels skittering through bushes, and waterfalls dissecting the village placed Lara back in time. This place, with all its natural beauty, felt more of a home than her father’s estate in London. Her heart belonged outside, uncovering lost secrets, in awe of their power and why their creators had long disappeared. 

“Sophia?” A voice called from the top of the tower. 

“Hey Thomas.” 

“Its so good to see you. Elijah thought you were long gone. Everyone’s been getting anxious lately.” 

A middle aged man with ruffled, shoulder length hair, a rifle slung across his back and a recurve bow in his hand, climbed down the tower ladder. He stood at the same height as Jonah, but with a leaner build. He grinned and nodded to the others. His brows became crunched, concerned with Sophia. 

“Where are the others?” 

Sophia looked to his bow. “Gone. I barely survived. If it weren’t for Lara and her friends, I would’ve joined them.” 

Thomas shook his head and sighed. “I’ll get Eli up here. Lara, good to see you. And you two,” he looked at Jonah and Samantha. “You have our thanks.” 

“Lara, you two, lets to go my home. I have more medical supplies there. Eli will find us there.” 

The farther they walked in the village, the more people greeted her. Lara and her friends took sight of the repairs done to this part of the settlement. “You’ve done much to rebuild,” Lara said. 

“We’re nearly done, yes. Some trees have been cut down, so there’s more open land for our use.” 

Sophia guided them to her home. Bigger than most of the others, it had double doors at its entrance with the Prophets’ insigna chiseled in. A wrap-around patio welcomed visitors and villagers, with torches lining the handrails. Stone rose from the dirt under the patio and stairs, concealing the underground portion of the home. While Sophia was reigning leader of the Remnants in Siberia, her home was modest to to reflect her position. 

She pointed to a bed covered with a dark blue blanket and thick pillow. She lay down, grimacing at the still sore wound. 

Elijah looked at the scene with wide eyes, but he held back. Lara peeled back Sophia’s garments, her bruised abdomen muscle shades of red and black. 

“Lara, on that shelf are bandages and painkillers Could you get those?” 

“Sure.” Lara walked across the large room to a shelf filled with small bottles and miscellaneous medical supplies. She grabbed and handed them to Sophia. 

“Some of those looked like military grade,” Lara said. 

“We raided Trinity’s leftover stockpiles after you killed Konstantin. They sure had some useful supplies. Not just for this - weapons, vehicles. Stuff we need to rebuild.” 

“Please,” Sophia nodded to Jonah and Samantha,” help yourself to food and drinks. We welcome you as family, like Lara.” They thanked her and took seats at Sophia’s table. Elijah stepped near Sophia, got on a knee and examined the wound. 

“Wow. Sophia you’re lucky it didn’t hit anywhere higher.” 

“I’m lucky to have had these three to find me after what happened.” 

“What did happen?” Elijah said. 

“Trinity is what happened,” Sophia said, laying an herbal healer on her wound. The blackness was slowly disappearing, leaving only maroon bruises. 

Eli sighed and looked to the floor. “Now what do they want.” 

“We have an idea.” She looked at Lara, the back to Elijah. “We encountered attacks from new Trinity soldiers. In the city, they tore through us so quickly and we lost too many soldiers. I retreated up the road to the hidden entrance with who was left. They raced after us. At the top someone I presume as their new commander showed up.” Sophia sighed and stared at her side. “He asked for the hidden entrance. I didn’t think he knew anything. I said no. He pointed his weapon at me and fired. The rest were gunned down by his men.” She returned eyes to Elijah. “Thats where Lara and her friends come in.” 

Lara explained what she, Jonah and Samantha found. All the dead scattered down the roads like pebbles tossed from a hand. She explained they found Sophia barely alive and patched her up. 

“May the Prophet look after his dead,” Elijah said. He removed his canteen from his belt, uncorked the top and took a couple gulps. “Unfortunate we can’t bring them all home.” 

“It is,” Sophia said. “But we need to address the others.” 

“They won’t take it easily,” Elijah shook his head. 

“War is never taken easily, and you should know that.” she said. “Talk to your men. I’ll address everyone after I speak with Lara and her friends.” 

Elijah nodded and left the house. Sophia let out a sigh. “This is one of those times where I wish I wasn’t in charge. So much work to do.” 

“If you’d like, “ Jonah said,” I can help out. Whatever you need. Lara? Sam?” 

“Sam wanted an adventure, right?” Lara said. 

Sam smiled. “You betcha. I’ll stay with Lara for now.” 

“Alright,” Jonah said. “Just don’t go anywhere without letting me know first.” He got up and walked out to catch up with Elijah. 

“Lara, Samantha, we should go downstairs and talk. This is information that my father entrusted to very few.” 

“Are you feeling better? The bruise is still swollen quite a bit,” Samantha said, looking over it. 

“No, not really, but time tends to run out when you don’t take action,” Sophia said. She grunted sitting up, eyes watering. Both girls helped her up and walked to a trap door at the back of the house. Samantha opened it, exerting more strength than Lara thought she had. It smoothly opened up. Sophia stepped down the ladder, taking each step slowly. Lara and Sam met her below.The room with a larger bed than Sophia’s, five wood chairs, a sword rack, a bear rug in the middle, and a book shelf filled with many texts. Sophia laid on the bed. 

“So who lives down here?” Lara said. 

“My father did. We’d come down here to discuss private matters, chat with Elijah and his right hand man. Or if we wanted peace and quiet. This was the place to do it. Growing up, my father had all those books. He’d read them for years, sometimes venturing out in the world to find more. I still don’t know how he did that with Trinity always searching for him. He wasn’t just a good father; he was elusive. Hard to catch. That changed, of course, several months ago.” 

“So since he was this Prophet,” Samantha said,” how does he only have one child after all that time being alive?” 

“That is a good question,” Sophia said. “I don’t know. He told me on the occasion there were things I’d learn about when I was older. That never happened. It almost surprised me, really. I respected and loved my father. He was smart, generous, noble, kind, hard working, but he still had his secrets.” 

“Many have strange secrets,” Lara said. She recalled her father. After returning home from Siberia, she got word from her uncle Atlas her father’s manor, where she grew up, was going to fall into his hands if she didn’t find his will. Amongst that, after much discovery, she found that he was so dedicated to his ongoing work about immortality he was forgetting about Amelia, Lara’s mother, and Lara herself. Later she found he buried her mother below the manor, after she died in a plane crash in the Himalayan Mountains. 

“By the way, Samantha, is it?” Sophia said. 

Samantha nodded once and smiled. “Oh… right. Should have mentioned that earlier. I’m Lara and Jonah’s friend.” 

“What made you come with them?” 

“A new adventure. After our first one over a year ago, I had to deal with some… stuff.” Sam’s face went flat, looking down. “I didn’t want to experience it again. However, ” She smiled again, arching her eyebrows, “lately I’ve found discovery to be fascinating. Fun when its not dangerous. But seeing as I’ve been too caught up trying to resume my own studies, I wanted to get out. Do something more interesting with my time. This felt like it was it.” 

“And I told her,“ Lara said as a matter-of-factly, “that it can be very dangerous. That didn't stop her from begging.” 

“Oh, really Lara?” Samantha curled her lips, huffed a laugh and put her hands on her waist. “All I asked was to join because it sounded interesting. If it became dangerous, I said I’d listen for your advice.” 

“Well whatever happens from here on out,” Sophia said,” I’m sure you’ll get the most from your time. Anyway, back to the topic and hand.” She pressed off the bed’s blanket slowly and walked to the book shelf. ‘Lara, can you give me a hand?” 

“Sure.” She joined Sophia on the shelf’s left side. “Lets push it.” They moved it a few feet forward. Behind it was bare grey stone. 

“What are you looking for?” Lara said. 

“This.” Sophia grabbed a rectangular stone. She slid it from its place, dust from the grinding settling on the wood floor. She reached in and pulled out a large, thickly binded book. Dust coated the binding and covers like grey snow. She gently wiped the dust off and stood up. 

“Lara and Samantha, this is the history of our people and our faith. It also carries miscellaneous stories from the time of our people’s founding, and some secrets. Think of it as our equivalent to the Bible.” 

Lara’s eyes glowed and her mouth curled into a smile. “Wow...its beautiful! Looks like it was made in the mid 16th Century.” 

“Yes, it was,” Sophia confirmed. She handed it to Lara, who hefted its weight for a moment. 

“Aren’t there copies for everyone else in your village?” Samantha said, looking at the book next to Lara. 

“There were,” Sophia said. “When Trinity attacked us months ago, burnt down much of the village, they unknowingly destroyed the rest. This is the remaining one. Our own remnant, you might say, of a larger body of texts.” 

Lara chuckled at the remark. Through the pages she saw pictures of the Prophet, leading his people in what he deemed righteousness ways. Verses of his words on other pages. “No wonder my dad never mentioned this. It’s great, but why show us?’ 

“I believe this mystery is one of our own mysterious pasts. A lost secret unsolved for a long time. I’ve tried my own hand at it, but came up unsuccessful.” Sophia said. 

“Now things are getting interesting,” Samantha said, flipping through more pages. 

“What would that be?” Lara said. 

“The Shards of the Risen.” 

Lara looked at Sophia, mouth slightly open. “My dad did have something about that. In one of his research books.” She paused. “So thats what he was after. That also explains the piece in his study. 

“Wait... you’re father has a Shard? Sophia said. 

“If thats what it is, yes. In fact,” Lara handed the book to Samantha, turned and removed her backpack. She set it on her chair, unzipped the big compartment and pulled out a piece of linen wrapped around a thin, jagged object. “Here it is.” She unwrapped the linen and handed it to Sophia. A shard of silver metal gleamed, wall torches and lanterns around the room reflected off its sharp edges. It was about the size of a hunting knife without the handle. 

“I suppose its too late to ask why you didn’t mention this before,” Sophia said, examining the shard. 

“I’m wondering why you didn’t mention this before,” Samantha said. 

“Because I didn’t make the connection till now, “ Lara said. 

“So is this what Trinity is after? These Shards?” Samantha said. 

“Sounds like it. But why is the next question, “ Lara said. 

Sophia sat back down on the bed and laid the shard next to her. “I know why. My father always said Trinity was bent on destroying our people, our walk of life. For centuries after they were founded, way before I or any of the villagers were around, something...or someone...caused Trinity to loathe us. I suppose thats where the journey begins.” 

“Seems there’s always more questions than answers,“ Samantha said. “Don’t you wish your father told you this?” 

“If he did, we might have dealt with it much sooner and had more on our hands than before Lara first came to us.” 

“Thats life, though. Can’t always know what you’re after. No matter how much you wish it,” Samantha said. 

“You have a point, Sam.” Lara said. “Sure makes it frustrating.” She moved her backpack to the floor and sat down. “Sophia, I might know of a place I didn’t look around last time for clues. Samantha and I can go see what we can dig up.” 

“Yeah, I like that idea. However, seeming as you just got here and its been a little crazy the past few days, how about you, Samantha and Jonah stay the night,” Sophia said.” We’ll have supper too. I also need to tell the village about what happened. Its my thanks to you for what you three did.” 

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Lara said. 

“My stomach is growling, so yes please,” Samantha said.


	7. Chapter 7

Sophia and four cooks prepared a large dinner meal of deer and freshly squeezed apple juice. A large, blazing fire lit up an area of the village big enough for several wood tables to be moved together. It was like a family gathering. Was it to celebrate victory? No; Lara knew from the losses Sophia had this was no victory party. Rather it was a simple way of showing how far the village had come since being nearly wiped out. To Lara this resembled family gatherings she drempt her family would have if her parents still lived. Jonah and Samantha were family to her, of course. She let slip her ambitions to find more about the Shards and settled in to enjoy a quiet night. No Trinity soldiers blasting their way through to her, no tombs collapsing under decayed structures. Tonight Lara settled back to enjoy stories from Sophia’s childhood, Jonah learning how to fish and nearly slicing off a finger with a fillet knife, and various tales from the villagers. They were all so content with their simple, tribal lives. It nearly made Lara jealous; with all the gadgets at her disposal and the mysteries of the supernatural in her mind, a simpler life felt it would ease the distant worry. Why worry though? She was born for this, searching for hidden power and mysteries in the beauty and muck of the world. Or would she go too far to learn something the world didn’t need? This teeter totter of logic attempted to justify itself since the Yamatai situation. Not tonight. Lara ate and drank well and carried on conversations until it was late. Jonah told her there was more heavy lifting to be done and Sam had gone to sleep on Sophia’s basement bed. Lara told everyone good night and went to the basement. She folded some exta blankets into pillows and lay on the bear rug, in front of a smoking fireplace. But her thoughts invaded her mind; she wouldn’t ease into sleep for a short time. 

Lara’s eyes blinked away a good sleep. The fire died out hours ago; the room was lit only by lanterns hanging from various places in room. Her back felt stiff; she slowly stood up and stretched. Samantha’s bed was empty. She was probably outside getting breakfast. Lara opened the basement door and climbed the ladder. The house was empty too, but voices outside confirmed Samantha’s whereabouts. She sat with Jonah and Sophia at a table, eating freshly picked berries and the supply of food they brought with them. Both spooned oatmeal from small metal bowls. 

“Morning,” Jonah said, bright eyed and smiling. “Sleep well?” 

“Yeah. My back’s a bit sore; Sam used the bed.” 

“You didn’t get the cot?” Jonah said. 

“We had a cot?” Lara said. “Great...thanks for letting me know.” 

“You didn’t see it in the jeep?” Jonah said, swallowing a spoonful of oatmeal. “There are two of them on the inside walls. Brackets holding them up.” 

“I didn’t think those were cots,” Lara said. She took a seat next to Samantha. 

“Here,” Jonah handed Lara a bowl of oatmeal. 

“Thank you, Jonah.” Lara picked blackberries out of a wood bowl in front of her. Sophia ate on the other side of the table. 

“So do you have an idea what you’re after,” Sophia said. 

“Hmm... I’d like to say something related to the sword, but I don’t really know,” Lara said. She swallowed oatmeal and chewed berries in the soothing sunlight. Around her the village woke up. 

“I’m more worried if Trinity is waiting for you,” Jonah said. 

“Seeing as we haven’t had any trace of them around here I doubt it.” 

“I know you can handle the, Lara. Its Samantha here that I’m worried about.” 

Samantha leaned over and looked to Jonah. “I think,” she poped a berry in her mouth,” I’m a little worried as well. We’ll see what happens though. If Trinity happens to be there or shows up later on, what do you want to do Lara?” 

“Worse case scenario, we avoid contact as long as possible. If all else fails, we take them out.” 

The three of them finished their meal. Lara and Sam filled canteens, clipped them to their belts, and Lara slung a small rucksack over her back. She filled it with snacks, flares, lighters, two hunting knifes, a holster and extra ammunition for her pair of .45 caliber pistols. Lara put on her dark blue coat and slid her own holster around her beltt. Sam slid her orange coat over her shoulders. Jonah showed them places around the village that needed repair. Him and Elijah set out to continue work. Lara and Samantha started the 4x4 and took off northwest. Sophia told them if they find anything related to their Prophet or their people to return it to her. 

For two hours Lara drove through meadows, forests large and small, hills, and occasionally found a dirt road. All around them the winter she first saw Siberia blanketed in was gone. In its place deep green grasses, trees that looked like they could be natural giants out of mythical fairytales, streams buscling with salmon and deer amd other wild animals feeding on bushes and grass. Like a painting in motion the landscape unfolded in front of Lara. She turned left, right, went down a small hill, kicked in second gear and willed the vehicle up mud patches and over boulders that resembled disks. At the flat top of a hill, between two Siberian fir trees lay a broken stone pathway. It followed the hill down and met at the gap between two large mountains. Both girls looked around for signs of Trinity. Lara shifted the 4x4 into park. 

“No one home,” Samantha said. “My gosh... this place is beautiful.” 

“Definitely.” Lara looked around. “ No sign of Trinity is a great sign. They aren’t fun to deal with. Okay...I’m going to park at the entrance and we’ll start there.” 

“We’d better find something. That or there’s more to this than meets the eye.” 

“I’m my world, Sam, thats always the case.” Lara looked to her. 

“Always.” 

Lara shifted back to drive. At the top where the entrance was but a tall, narrow cave, she turned off the 4x4 and gathered the rucksack. She loaded both pistols with a magazine and handed one to Sam. Two flares she stuck in her inner coat pocket. 

“I thought we weren’t expecting any company?” Samantha grabbed the pistol, turning it over in her hand. 

“Just in case. Sometimes they’re useful for disabling traps that have been in tombs for a long time. I’ve done that. You know how to use it?” 

“I think so…. you slide this back,” Samantha gripped the handle and the back of the action and pulled it back slowly, revealing the first round, “ then release. Right?” 

“Yeah you got it. I have the extra magazines. Here’s one. Just don’t use it up too fast. Take this holster. Slide it on your belt.” 

“Gotcha. To be honest, I’m shocked you trust me with this.” 

“Why?” Lara laughed. “Because I didn’t trust you to come along before? I had my doubts, but I need to see you’re capable as well. I’ll show you how I do stuff. You’ll see.” 

Lara racked the slide on her pistol and slid it in her holster. Sam did the same. Lara shouldered her pack and tighed it around her waist. 

“Lets see here. No visible symbols. Odd…” 

“Wouldn’t tombs have ways for explorers to know who build them?” Sam said, gazing at the mountain above. 

"Not always. I’m not to worried about that out here.” 

Lara traced her hands on the rock. 

Dad, I’m finishing this for you. Sam and I together. I know you searched for this after you gave up on the Divine Source. Its my turn now, she thought. 

“Lets go Sam.” Lara took out a flare. She yanked the top off. The cave entrance was more of a cavern. It glowed red, smoke rising to the small staccalites lining the top. Sam followed, brushing her hand over the damp rock. The uneven path curved left. Sunlight didn’t reach that far; it continued to fade until Lara took out a flare. It hissed and penetrated the darkness with thin, bright red beams of light. Lara raised it above her head. The cave’s height had become shorter. Jagged black and grey stone jutted out, making Lara and Sam turn sideways to traverse. The path went up, curved right, and leveled out. They found themselves in a room, lit only by a gap in the mountain far above them. 

“Sam, why do you say your studies aren’t as interesting as this stuff?” 

“Learning a laguage, Japanese and Asian history is fun. Applying that where most people won’t is even better.” 

“Sounds like you’re bored of your studies.” Lara looked around for a new path. 

“At times. Change is a nice thing. Don’t you ever get bored of searching for stuff you might not ever find?” 

“No... at least not yet,” Lara said. These walls are bare. Perhaps to mislead those that make it in? She thought. Wait...whats that? Lara walked to the wall across from the gap shining light in the room. 

At eye height she noticed it, barely visible on the stone - a chisled icon of a shard of metal. 

“There it is...Sam,” Lara said. “See that?” 

“Barely...is that a sword?” 

“A shard of a sword,” she said. “This might be another one!” 

“How many shards are there?” Sam said. 

“No idea, but if they are all relatively the same size as mine, just a few. But where to go on?” 

They walked around the room, looking for hidden doors or weak sections of rock. Lara looked back to the icon in the rock. 

“Wait a second.” She held the flare up to it. No holes shining through. Lara pressed on it with her palm. The rock grinded as it slowly dropped, revealing a new path. 

“Ah hah,” Lara said. “Sometimes the way is hidden in plain view,” she said to Samantha. 

“Lara….I think those are skeletons down there.” The light coming down through the gap in the room shown a few feet into the new path. 

“Lets find out,” Lara said. “Stay close.” 

They scooted through the tighter pathway. It climbed up a short set of stairs, surprisingly not worn down. “I guess if this has been hidden for so long it wouldn’t get used,” Samantha said. 

“Discoveries in a nutshell,” Lara said. “Top step is slippery...slanted a bit. Here.” She grabbed Samantha’s wrist and helped her up. The path widened. A right turn and they found another large room, only this one was bigger and had a gap separating the ends. The rush of running water filled the room below. 

“Hmm...never thought streams could run underground like that,” Samantha said, peering over the edge. 

“As long as there’s a source,” Lara said. “We need to get across. I’m going first. You watch me.” 

“Ok,” Samantha said. 

Lara backed up to the rock wall and sprinted. The gap was a few feet wide, but the platform was long enough. She pumped her arms and legs rapidly. She sprung off the platform like it was a diving board. Her arms and legs spun, carrying her momentum. She tucked in and rolled on the other side. 

“Ooo, flashy,” Samantha said. 

“Run and jump as I did. You don’t have to roll.” 

Samantha backed up to the wall and took off, mimicking Lara. 

“Errrraaa!” Sam sailed through the gap, but she leaned too far forward. She staggered onto the rock platform. Lara caught her arm, stopping her from running into a jutting piece of granite wall next to the path. 

“Geez. I need to work out more often...I’m in bad shape,” Samantha said. 

“This is your work out, Sam,” Lara laughed. “Hey...I see light. Come on.” 

A right turn led into another room, only much, much taller. A split in the rock far above their heads let in a rectangular shaft of light. 

“My goodness,” Lara said 

Against the wall a stone coffin lay, snuggly fit in front of a tall faded painting. Suits of Byzantine and European armor, rusted swords and shields were proped up around it. 

“Now this is what I’m talking about,” Samantha said. “Not much, though.” 

“Yeah...you’re right,” Lara said. “These armor suits look like they’re about...hmm,” She brushed dust off a couple breastplates and swords, “...anywhere from a six hundred to a thousand years old. But European and Byzantine armor? Thats strange.” 

Samantha walked to a suit with a longbow in its gauntlet. She carefully pryed the fingers open, but its string was already broken. 

“You don’t happen to have any spare bow string lying around, do you?” 

“Not here. Sam, help me with this.” 

Lara stood in front of the coffin. They placed hands on it and pushed. Stone grinded and dust fell inside. 

“Here we go,” Lara said. “Who might you be?” Rotted and tattered cloth filled in the area between the bones of the skeleton. On its chest its hands were folded one over the other. Thick folded parchment jutted between the hands. 

“No shard.” She sighed. She grabbed the parchment from the finger bones. 

“Lara, this might help.” Sam walked from the right side wall with a long stick. 

“Ah, good eye..” Lara slid her rucksack off her back and fished inside for a lighter. The torch brought extra reading light. She handed it back to Sam and unfolded the parchment. 

“Oh my gosh.” 

“What?” Samantha said. 

“These are maps,” Lara pointed to each of the four sketches that were inscribed above some text. “According to these, they point to locations for...,” She brushed her finger over each location, then looked at the words below. “The other shards! And a story of its origins, why the Prophet had it made, his faith and where the Order of Trinity came from.” She met eyes with Samantha. “Sophia is going to love this.” She carefully folded it up and placed it in her bag. 

“But it puzzles me why she doesn’t know this stuff already,” Samantha said. 

“I guess those that start religious followings don’t fully trust their own people,” Lara said. 

“Makes me wonder why bother starting something in the first place.” 

“They think they know the answers to life, when in fact they have the same problems everyone else.” 

“What problems?” Samantha said. 

"They’re human, trying to make themselves holy in some manner. That doesn’t work if you’re not God.” 

“Which God?” Samantha said. 

“The only one that isn’t human, but once was for a short time. From the Bible.” She lit another flare, her last one. 

“Oh, that one. I wasn’t raised with that.” 

“Thats okay. Lets get back to camp. We have a lot of planning to do.” 

“Sounds like a plan!” Samantha said. 

“Okay...that’s a bad pun. Think of a better one next time.” 

Samantha laughed through her nose. They walked back through the mountain, jumped the gap, and the early afternoon Siberian sunshine welcomed them back to the 4x4.


	8. Chapter 8

“Lara, did you and Sam find anything?” Sophia said. 

“Yes, but its better to talk behind closed doors.” 

Sophia shut her front door and hung her bow on the wall. Dirt scrapped off her boots to stick on the wood floor. Lara saw sweat drip off her forehead. 

“Good hunt?” 

“Yes,” Sophia said.”I took two others and got two elk. Big ones. Jonah is helping prepare them for preservation.” 

“That sounds nice. I remember my dad and uncle going hunting every once in a while. My uncle had to make him do it; too involved with his studies.” 

Samantha sat to Lara’s left, examining the map between them on the oak table and eating seared venison. 

“What is that?” Sophia sat at her table next to Lara with an air of curiosity and astonishment. 

“A map of possible locations for other shards. But there several areas marked,” she pointed out. “Some meant to throw others off and..hmm….there’s a reason for this.” 

“A simple explanation, most likely. Throw your enemies off your tracks. Unless they’re ahead of you, or are waiting for you anyhow.” 

Samantha finished chewing a strip of venison and pointed to the ceiling. “Sounds right. I was gonna say that myself.” 

“How do you know that?” Lara said, turning to her with squinting eyes. 

“Thought it would be what you’d say.” 

She smiled. On the map were six marked locations, written in Farsi, Latin and German. 

“Here’s where the map came from,” she pointed.” and the next closest location is, well, quite far off: northeast Turkey. Back when this was first written, which is about….” she scanned the map with her fingers and gingerly flipped it over, “ five hundred and fifty years ago, due to this kind of parchment and the ink, I’m thinking that the Prophet had this scribed after all the shards. Or he already knew where he wanted to hide them, however many there are.” 

“You’re saying there’s more to this?” Sophia said 

“Possibly. Something I’ve picked up in studying archaeology is there can be hidden stories that reveal details you wouldn’t have guessed about before. Something tells me your Prophet has more to this. Not necessarily throwing enemies off track so to speak, but hiding something from them.” 

“Could be both,” Samantha said. 

“Could be….but there’s more to this. There has to be.” Lara sat up from the table. She crossed her arms and paced the room. 

“Lara you’re overthinking this. Lets just go to this location and find out what it holds,” Samantha said. 

“I’m not overthinking this, Sam; I’m confused.” 

Samantha bobbed her head side to side and shrugged. “Well?” 

“Yeah, lets go. But this time you should stay here. 

Samantha huffed. “Why?” 

“Each time we go out brings us closer to encountering Trinity soldiers. If this is the one, you don’t have the experience to fight them off.” 

“That doesn't mean I can’t help.” She stood up. “You trusted me enough with your pistol. I think you can go further. Are you asking Jonah to come?” 

“I wasn’t planning on it. He likes helping around the village instead.” 

“Alright then.” Samantha said. 

Lara folded up the map and stuffed it into her backpack. “I’m still asking him. This’ll be a long ride, so we need to be prepared.” Lara and Samantha found Jonah helping store the deer Sophia and her companions hunted. A middle aged woman and one who looked like her husband were patting a drum and a plucking a stringed instrument behind him. 

Lara smiled at the music and approached the storwhouse. “Hey Jonah. Samantha and I found the next place to search. We went to look in a cave Sophia told us about and only found a map.” 

Jonah laid down a slab of deer meat in a salt box and closed it. “Huh. Has to do with the shards, right?” 

“Yes.” 

He rubbed chin in thought and walked back to the large table with more meat, sectioned off in large and small slabs. He grabbed a handful of salt and sprinkled it in an equal layer down a piece’s length. “So....you’re wanting me to come along?” 

“I wasn’t sure if you wanted to stay here and help out more or come along.” 

“Well,” he said, “this place still needs attention. I can’t do much when I’m going with you. However, I’ve helped enough since we got here that I could use a break.” 

“Going with us isn’t much of a break,” Samantha said. 

Jonah nodded and sprinkled more salt. “Good point. That said, I’d rather make sure you too shenanigans aren’t getting yourselves into too much trouble.” He laughted softly. 

“See? One reason to come along,” Lara snickered. Samantha gave two thumbs up and grinned. 

“Ahh so now you’re tempting me!” He chuckled. 

“I wouldn’t go so far to call it that. Rather having your help is nice.” 

“Hmm...so what are you up against?” 

“Right now no idea. No clue if Trinity has the same idea. And we stil have no idea who’s taken command since Konstantin’s death. Although Sophia was shot by their potential successor. Anyhow, the goal is to locate the next shard, which is in Northeast Turkey.” 

Jonah laid the slab of meat in a second preservation box. “Turkey? Thats...not what I expected.” 

“What did you expect?” 

“Somewhere closer to here, or in Europe.” 

“We may have to go into Europe later on.” 

“Is there a thorough, elaborate plan to get us there and back again in one piece, or is it made up on the fly?” 

Lara’s eyebrows raised and gave a wry smile. “Really?” 

He giggled. “Relax, Lara. You worry too much. And Sam over here is excited for any new plan. Sure...I’ll pack up. I’ll tell Sophia.” 

“Sophia’s coming, actually.” 

“Why’s that?” Samantha said. 

“The map and shards belong to her people’s past. Why not? 

“Too many to keep an eye on?” he said. 

“She would know all about that, given she’s taken her father’s place as leader of her people.” 

“Lets get to it,” he said. They returned to Sophia’s lodge and planned the route to Northeast Turkey. 

_Turkey. intriguing! Dad, did you and mum ever go there? Find some mystical piece of history with Trinity playing catch up? Or was it a vacation you surprised mom with? Knowing you, vacations were never your thing; you’d cover it up with some elaborate story to locate something you’d have sought after for months. Mum would play along anyway. Just another excuse for you and her to work while keeping it a secret as long as possible, but you both knew it. Now I search for the next shard, or shards, ones you never delved into finding. I’m not completing your work, dad; I’m doing this for me. For Sophia. For her people. For their buried history. And if I kick Trinity around while I’m at it, thats a bigger victory._

__

_________________________________________________________ _

__

__

__“Lara, as...thrilling as these trips are, when was the last time you took at day or two off? When did you last sleep in and play classical music from your turntable, make scrambled eggs and laid out a board game?” said Jonah. He leaned forward against the small passenger seats belt, enough leg room to not feel squished. Samantha napped in the seat in front of him. Lara sat across from his left, legs crossed. She had the shards map smoothed on the collapsable table from the seat in front of her._ _

___When was that? Before Yamatai? Could’ve done that after Kitesh._ _ _

___“Not sure,” she said. “I can think about that after the shards and Trinity.”_ _ _

___“I’m serious, Lara.” Jonah looked at her. “You don’t always need to be out doing this. You’re going to cause yourself more pain than you can handle one of these times.”_ _ _

___Lara frowned, folding the map and putting it in her backpack. She took out clothed covered shard in its place._ _ _

___“Ever watched those Mission Impossible movies? Ethan Hunt gets closer and closer to the line between stopping bad guys and dying.”_ _ _

___“He has a point,” groaned Samantha, stirring in her seat._ _ _

____Two against one. At least I’m not fighting them._ _ _ _

___“I appreciate the concern as always. I won’t let that happen.”_ _ _

___“How do you know it won’t happen?” Jonah persisted. Clouds outside gently slid past the twin prop driven plane. The view tilded down to the right as the pilots adjusted course._ _ _

___Lara gripped the shard, enveloping it._ _ _

___“Jonah….I won’t.” She sighed. “But...if something happens, then I will need your help.”_ _ _

___“Lets just hope we get the jump on Trinity, if we cross paths,” said Jonah._ _ _

____Yes, let’s hope. It wouldn’t be the last fight either._ _ _ _

___Samantha had resumed her nap while Jonah reclined in his seat. Lara unbuckled and asked the pilots how long until they arrived in Turkey._ _ _

____Less than an hour. Good._ _ _ _

___Lara sat back down, taking out the shard in her backpack. She unfolded the worn fabric covering it. Her palm felt it’s rugged edges, where something, or someone, broke it from the blade. She brought it closer to herself._ _ _

___Then her vision faded into darkness._ _ _

___Not total darkness. She saw her father again. He stood on his knees in front of an open, engraved wood chest, dirty with chipped sides. A handful of well armed soldiers in body armor stood behind him. An intelligent, but stern male voice mumbled in front of the chest, out of view. The wood chest was covered by his shadow, the outline of his body armor overlayed it._ _ _

____We both have an understanding of ancient civilization, and their beliefs. But this...a hand tapped a chipped side...is something I want to learn more about, and the why it was done._ _ _ _

___Lara saw her father scrutinize something in the chest. He glanced up at the soldier, frowning, and looked back down. Clearly he was trying to hide his nerves. Then she saw the front of the chest, through her fathers’ eyes. In his hands was a brown cloth, in surprisingly good condition. He uncovered what it hid._ _ _

____Another shard. No...two shards._ _ _ _

___Lara, somehow, wasn’t surprised by the find itself. Rather she was surprised by the second shard. Her father’s eyes widened. They were larger than hers, but didn’t fit together; one was somewhat narrower than the other._ _ _

___Then another man appeared, through her fathers’ eyes, as if he were a ghost. He wore a tan colored cloak, accented with blue and purple trim. In his hands he held two silver scabbards. Lara saw him present one to someone else out of vision. The man wore a fatherly smile and complexion, nodding to the recieever._ _ _

___Lara’s tunnel vision dwindled and disappeared. She felt the light layer of sweat on her back and face. Jonah was sitting to her left, next to the window. Samantha peered over the seat in front of her. “Lara...hey...was that another vision?” Jonah said._ _ _

___Lara blinked to clear her sight. _What in the hell was that? There might be more to this than we all thought. Trinity can’t find out. _She nodded to him. “Yes. Only the second one. They’ve revealed more and more.” Lara glanced at Samantha, and accepted a water bottle from her.___ _ _

___“Thanks. I wouldn’t be surprised if I had another one.”_ _ _

___“Do you know how the shard could cause them?” Samantha said._ _ _

___Lara swallowed a gulp. She frowned, looking out the window. This could be the only part of this adventure she wouldn’t understand. Has anyone else had these daydreams or visions? Was it another part of the mysticism to the Divine Source? The Prophet could’ve had more power than even his daughter Sophia thought. After what she went through with him, it would anger more than shock her at what else he’d kept secret._ _ _

___But she should remain interested instead of getting angry._ _ _

___“I don’t. Can’t make sense of these.”_ _ _

___“Wow. That’s a first,” Jonah laughed._ _ _

___Lara stared at the back of Samantha’s seat. “Oddly enough that is.” She looked at them and managed a laugh. _It’s nice to relax and laugh it off. Perhaps not knowing or understanding something is...well..alright.__ _ _

___“No matter; I want to find out more.”_ _ _

___“We can,” he nodded. “But Lara, what will it gain you in the end?”_ _ _

____He asks the simple, logical questions. One reason why I’m glad he’s my friend….and one why I wish I went alone sometimes._ _ _ _

___She contemplated this for several seconds. “Hmm...I don’t know yet. There has to be something useful somewhere.”_ _ _

___Jonah huffed and grinned. “Both surprising and unsurprising.”_ _ _

___“I second that,” Samantha said._ _ _

___“So that’s why I bring you two along,” Lara chuckled._ _ _

___They laughed, sitting back in their normal seats. A red panel came to life on the cockpit wall. Fasten Your Seatbelts. “We’re nearly there,” Lara said._ _ _

___ _

__________________________________________________ _ _

___ _

___ _

___Lara and the others landed at Byzanotto Airport in the mid morning. Turkish July sun made English summers feel like spring. The tan leather jacket she wore protected from sunburns, although she was somewhat used to drier and more humid places on earth. Sam, on the other hand, was not. Jonah bought her a pale jacket and he wore his usual brown one. An off road vehicle was rentable for three days. Lara told the renter they needed it longer. She got two weeks more time, something that shocked even Jonah._ _ _

___Picturesque was one word to describe the landscape racing by as Lara drove. A few low rolling hills later mixed in with taller hills, mountains, thin forests that were shades of light green and brown._ _ _

___Rhythmic vibrations from the tires gripping the road almost lulled her asleep, after a ten hour flight that she only slept partway through._ _ _

___“It’s way too hot,” said Samantha, sitting in the second row shade. Or what shade there was._ _ _

___“Drink water, keep your cloth on you’re head so you don’t get sunburnt, and try to relax,” Jonah said from the front passenger seat._ _ _

___“This area isn’t always dry and sunny. It gets the most rainfall in the country,” Lara said as a matter of fact._ _ _

___“Would be great to have that now”, Samantha mumbled._ _ _

___Lara put a finger in the air. “I have just the thing.” She opened the storage compartment between the front seats and pulled out a CD, then popped it open with a free hand. She inserted it into the 4x4s stereo. Lara flicked a glance at Samantha, then Jonah, and winked. An orchestra played from the six speakers the vehicle had. The plucking and blowing of Middle eastern instruments flowed, with percussion, here and there a flute, and a male and female chorus._ _ _

___“You can’t do wrong with this while around here,” she said. “A taste of my favorite music.”_ _ _

___Jonah grinned, his cloth on his head fluttering from the window breeze._ _ _

___“I’m guessing you have a lot of vinyls,” Samantha said after swallowing a gulp._ _ _

___“A fair few. Lots of them are my mum and dads. I go for CDs, but I’ve come across those older disks every once in a while.”_ _ _

___Lara drove over a low hill and followed a curve. _If only I wasn’t here searching for something. Just lounging in the sun next to a river...these two crazies I call friends….and if only mum and dad were here too. Such a...just difference that would make. Cant think of a better phrase.__ _ _

___“Lara, what’s the plan here? You have an idea of where we’re headed?” Samantha said, wetting the cotton of her head covering with water._ _ _

___“I….I’m not entirely sure,” she said. “Trinity might be there already, so we need to be prepared to fight.”_ _ _

___You know...one day I really wish I didn’t have to fight someone to get somewhere._ _ _

___“So lets say they’ve set up camp,” Jonah said. “I suggest we try to avoid them. Sneak around. You wouldn’t happen to have silencers, would you?”_ _ _

___“Avoiding them is an option, but,” she said, “it’s difficult to evade Trinity.”_ _ _

___“So focus on them when we get there,” Jonah said. “Your real focus is whatever tomb and shard is there.”_ _ _

___“Yes. Find the tomb before they do, get the shard or whatever is there, get out. Move on to the next one.”_ _ _

___“Less risk of getting killed,” Samantha said._ _ _

___“That’s not what you’ve done before. Lara, we know you like to stay and study what you find, no matter how crazy things get,” Jonah said._ _ _

___“Next time,” she said. Jonah shrugged and nodded. Lara followed the road around a hill. A forest appeared, with a two streams winding their way between trees and foliage. It dipped down into the unknown._ _ _

___“And here we are,” Lara grinned. “I’m guessing this leads into a valley. See there?” She pointed past the trees. “That mountain is where we’re headed.”_ _ _

___ _

_________________________________________ _ _

___ _

___ _

___“Joe, humor me - why this, of all the places in this country? Makes me curious of the man’s plan...or why his shards landed all the way out here.”_ _ _

___“I’ve read about this Prophet before. Legend says he traveled through much of the Middle East, spreading what he believed was the divine truth. His followers numbered in the thousands. Some of them planted settlements, while others continued with him. Even his entire family. In other words, they all left their homeland. He sought to offer salvation and hope - that the knowledge given to him, apparently from God, would heal people and bring the world back together.”_ _ _

___“That have anything to do with this big clump of dirt? Feels to me like this is a waste of time and resources.”_ _ _

___Joe Rogers attempted to explain the reasoning behind their latest location move, but Damon McDonnell showed his irritation at not making much progress in recent days. Rogers had a level of patience with his friend. However, eventually he would need to start observing and thinking twice more, instead of asking questions. The Commander, surprisingly, was open to questions too, and was more than pleased to express his….dislike of the Prophet and his Remnant. But while he was searching for the entrance to a long lost tomb with a squad, Rogers had taken up the role as historian to McDonnell, and others that showed interest._ _ _

___Twenty meters from the base of the mountain, in a cleared out are of the forest, they watched over ammo and equipment crates, food and drink, and explosives. They even had a few lanterns and wood chairs for the evening watch. Orders were for Trinity soldiers to spread out in an arc at the mountains’ base. Rogers was tasked with himself, McDonnell, and five others to watch for any trespsasers, members of the Remnants who might have miraculously discovered them, or anyone after the fabled treasure of the Shards. Rogers, and the Commander, vaguely knew of the great power it would besiege it’s wielder._ _ _

___“I actually agree with you on that. But no one tell the boss...not a word,” he looked at the men and women of their group, ” and the If he suspects anyone wishing to desert, I’ll have to explain. He trusts me and McDonnell to handle this, our little group of...mischeives,” he chuckled._ _ _

___“Hmm...well..the Commander has given us work and good pay, with the possibility of finding cool stuff,” said Sarah, one of the two women in the group._ _ _

___“What...you didn’t join to see nature? Learn about old cultures?” Rodgers said._ _ _

___She contemplated and shrugged. “Yeah...suppose you’re right. But don’t forget I told you why I joined up. You know...my husband and I struggling to make ends meet.”_ _ _

___McDonnell ripped open a bag of beef jerky. “Anyone want some?” The wood chair he sat on sank into the grass and dirt. He put his feet up on a log, where other supplies were stacked next to. The three other men accepted a piece of jerky._ _ _

___“That’s not a good enough reason, if you ask me,” he said._ _ _

___“Work is work, McDonnell,” she said. “As long as I can provide for me, my husband, while he finishes up engineering school, and our son. You have a point though.” She took a piece of jerky. “But it’s still a reason.”_ _ _

___They enjoyed their snack in silence. Rodgers stepped away, took a drink from his canteen and took a thoughful breath. His SCAR-H assault rifle was locked and loaded, slung on him. The turkish afternoon was definitely warm, but the heat wasn’t penetrating through the tree canopy all too much._ _ _

___Why are we really here? Is this plan benefiting everyone, or just the Commander? We could be desecrating a sacred site for whatever reason. And it doesn’t seem good enough either._ _ _

___He returned to the others. “Hey...I have something a bit more….fascinating in mind, something better to do with our time than wait on what could be a dead end. Hear me out?”_ _ _

___They turned to him and nodded._ _ _

___ _

_____________________________________________ _ _

___ _

___ _

___“Lara, Jonah, can I be at the front this time?” Samantha said. They parked the 4x4 behind a dense pack of bushes and trees in a clearing._ _ _

___“No...this could be too dangerous,” Jonah said, sliding a magazine into a pistol._ _ _

___She huffed and threw up her hands. “Where’s the trust at here? You seriously don’t think I can at least try to help more?”_ _ _

___Lara rolled her eyes. “It’s not that, Sam. Do you have the experience I have? Or Jonah?”_ _ _

___“No...but I can’t learn anything without doing it.”_ _ _

___“What do you think you’ll learn from this?” Jonah said, arms stiff at his side._ _ _

___“How to lead, take charge. Be assertive. Things I’ve not done much of.”_ _ _

___“I’d let you do that if you knew what we were up against. Like...knew what we are up against,” Lara said sternly, eyebrows raised. “Do you have any idea how difficult it is to fight Trinity?”_ _ _

___“Not really, but-”_ _ _

___“But what?”_ _ _

___“I stayed alive the last time I faced this!” She said, eyes like daggers. “The Solari? They were going to kill me. And you remember how close I was to that. Lara...Jonah...I could feel the roar of Mattias’ followers, just before you got to me. I couldn’t fight them, but I sure did survive long enough for you to rescue me.”_ _ _

___Lara stood, hands on her waist, Jonah still as a stone._ _ _

___“So for once, I want the chance to prove myself, that you can trust me more. What happened before certainly scared the hell out of me.” She let a breath go. “Tired of being scared and weak.”_ _ _

___“Are you done now?” Lara said._ _ _

___“Yes.”_ _ _

___“Dang it, I do trust you. And Jonah. You’re my best friends. If I didn’t, I’d be at this alone. I only don’t want anything bad to happen to you...again.” She looked to Jonah._ _ _

___“Should she be in front of us?”_ _ _

___He sighed. “Fine. But if something goes wrong, get behind us. Actually...maybe we’ll find a bow somewhere.”_ _ _

___“Speaking of which...I brought one.” Lara dug under supplies in the 4v4. She retrieved a wood recurve bow. Samantha's eyes lit up. She smiled._ _ _

___“I’ve not taken archery before, but...I can definitely try. Although, if we find a pistol, I might want that instead. One of those silent kinds you have.”_ _ _

___“Have you even fired a gun before?” Jonah said_ _ _

___“A couple of times with my parents, yes. .” She smiled and flicked her eyebrows. “I dont remember what kind of pistol.”_ _ _

___She is trying so hard to prove herself. What if I let her do it? Normally Id let Jonah do it if he wanted. I mean... if she doesn't do anything rash, it’ll work out. Just wait till she’s frozen behind a rock wall while bullets are picking at it. Then what do you do, Samantha? Try to think about the situation for too long and get shot, or use instincts and fight your way out?_ _ _

__“Alright Sam.. we’ll let you be in front. But you have to be quiet...and listen.”_ _

__

__

__Samantha crept behind trees, trying to avoid cracking a fallen branch or crunching too many dead leaves. Lara and Jonah followed closely. “This could go wrong quickly,” she whispered to him. “Lets give her room, but keep your eyes on her.”_ _

__Jonah briefly looked at her and gave a curt nod._ _

___How hard can it be to trust one of your best friends like this? She thought. Guess I’m learning something new._ _ _

__They went further down the valley wall. A creek threaded between some treees, going off to the right. It didn’t have a log for walking over. Lara and Samantha jumped across. Jonah walked slowly through, quietly as he could. Lara stopped._ _

__“Alright. If Trinity is here, I expect that they’ll be on the right side of the mountain.”_ _

__“Right side?” Jonah said._ _

__“A possible entryway to the tomb.”_ _

__“Pull out that map again. I want to double check,” he said._ _

__On the partly faded right half, the mountain was drawn in a small sketch of Turkey. Next to it was a note in ancient Persian. Part of a line below it had mostly vanished._ _

__“This shows there’s an entrance on the east side of this mountain, to find the resting place of a Messenger of the Prophet. Lets keep going, “ Lara said._ _

__“Resting place for a shard. Maybe more?”_ _

__“Hard to say. Could even be….” Her voice trailed off._ _

__“Be what?” He said._ _

__“A false trail.”_ _

__“Really don’t want to have come all this way for that. I thought you had a good idea of what this map showed.”_ _

__“So did I,” Samantha said._ _

__Jonah chuckled. “Can’t tell the difference between a false trail and the real one?”_ _

__Lara put the map back and huffed. “Can you?”_ _

__He chuckled. “Not really. Maybe sometimes.”_ _

__They continued stepping lightly. Jonah pointed to their right: a blue berry bush. Samantha snorted a laugh and Lara rolled her eyes. “Light, sweet, and crunchy. You can’t tell me your dad didn’t find good berries out looking for stuff, Lara,” he said._ _

__“I imagine he didn’t look for berries as the next major archaeological discovery.” After about ten minutes, Lara paused and sniffed the air. Peering ahead, she found what the sourse: a campfire, with three armed soldiers. Then she tapped Jonah’s shoulder. She whispered in his ear, then Samantha's, “Hold on. If we can’t sneak around, disarm them.”_ _

__“Are you serious?” Jonah whispered astonishingly._ _

__“Shooting draws attention. Just.... lets try it and ask questions.” Then Lara paused and pointed past the soldiers to Lara’s left._ _

__“There it is,” she grinned. “One of them.” Behind the soldiers stood stiff, silver-black rock, with a faint door-shaped indent, curved at the top. Lara saw Samanths adjust stance and open and close her eyes. She edged left in a circular path. Samantha followed behind Jonah. Laughter, crackles of burning logs - unaware soldiers. One reclined against a downed tree trunk._ _

__Then a snap._ _

__Lara looked to Jonah. His eyes grew and jaw slackened; he’d stepped on thin twigs._ _

__“Who’s there?” An authortative male voice sounded. Lara saw not three, but seven soldiers - men and women - with automatic rifles aimed at chest height, scanning trees and shrubbery out of their clearing._ _

__Jonah, of all people, she thought._ _

__Her pulse quickened. She looked behind their position. Trees and landscape just barely started declining. Lara tapped Jonah and Samantha on their shoulders… ...And ran downhill. Stunned, they sprinted after her. Jonah slid behind a fallen tree trunk and Lara and Samantha hid behind thinner trees in a dip. Lara caught her blank eyes and open mouth. Four soldiers came into sight. Her tight neck made swallowing stiff and her armpits pooled. But she didn’t grab her pistol. Lara instead poked her head out just enough. Why this reaction? She’d been in situations far worse._ _

__*_ _

__

__“Anything?” McDonnel asked._ _

__“Nope,”Sarah replied definitively. “Most likely some wild animals. Chase ‘em?”_ _

__He scanned the slight decline, including the edge of a dip.“Negative. Keep eyes out. Still have to make dinner,” he chuckled_ _

__“Something with actual taste?”_ _

__“More taste than you’ll get from another squad’s grub. And we all have MRE still.”_ _

__McDonnell radioed the rest of his squad back to the campfire._ _

__*_ _

__

__“You know, Lara? I half expected that tall dude to point a laser down here.” Jonah stratched his sleeve and remained against the trunk. Lara had her hands on her thighs, slowing her thumping pulse. Samantha sat on the grass against her tree. “So, how what?”_ _

__Lara looked at them. “Need to get them away from the entrance. A distraction.” She brushed hair behind her ear. “Or…you won’t like this: talk to them and let them in.”_ _

__Jonah wheezed a laugh. “Them reasonable? No, not happening.”_ _

__“Alright. So we detonate their charges. Find what we can before they catch up.”_ _

__“Why are you in such a hurry to make that much noise?” Jonah said. “Think more about that, Lara. You’re quick, but you’ve gotten into a habit of throwing options out without considering them enough.”_ _

__She refused to stop that, to stop considering it. Just one more attempt is all she needed. Find their explosives and make an opening. That is, counting on the rock door not budging with the usual hidden key or mechanism or hidden, pushable section. No chance; it could go wrong in the blink of an eye._ _

__“What about finding a different way?” Samantha said obviously._ _

__“This is the other way,” Jonah said._ _

__Lara sighed. “Wait on Trinity to open it then. Creep in behind whoever’s guarding. Listen in. Find out more of what they’re really up to.”_ _

__Better than talking their way through. What good would come from just playing lost with these soldiers? Outsmarting them, playing sneaky - that’s more up Lara’s alley until things to wry. Go in and come out quietly, and with another shard._ _

__Samantha shrugged. “Nothin else to do. Doubt those soldiers would care abouta got-lost tale anyway.”_ _

__“You could try for the heck of it. Most likely wouldn’t run. Well,” Jonah pushed off the ground. “I sure hope we brougt enough snacks.”_ _


	9. Chapter 9

“On my count: three… two… one!” 

A thundering crack sliced through the tranquil forest, and blew a rough rectangular hole in dark rock. Some rocks jutted out and exposed mineral veins. But thats not what the Commander and thirty soldiers were at the mountain for. Sure they’re extra perks of blowing up rocks. Maybe the next goal is starting a mining company doubling as a way to find more artifacts. 

He huffed and smirked. “How ‘bout that. I want five coming in, ten set up on the rocks around the corner. Rest of you stay on your guard. Don’t know if those villagers somehow mustered an army three and a half thousand miles away and thought of following. Like they’d want to try reasoning anyway.” Chuckles and laughs in agreement followed. “Never know! Maybe they’d be naive enough to compromise. Rogers, give the signal to detonate your charges.” 

“Sir.” He nodded and called to the one of the three still at the campfire. A second explosion reported in the trees. 

Portable flood lights were carried through the new way, as well as climbing rope, digging and rugged prying tools proudly held on kevlar shoulders. One of the female soldiers spoke up. 

“Sir, is there a name we should refer to you by?” 

He turned to face her. “Callan. Commander Callan to you, Lance Corporal.” 

“Yes, Commander..” 

After he faced forward again, she whispered to the soldier next to her - McDonnell, “Did you know that?” 

“Yes. Me and select others.” 

“I didn’t,” said Rodgers in a low hoarse. McDonnell adjusted his backpack. “Sometimes he keeps stuff from us and other times he doesn’t.” He shrugged. McDonnell was part of this whole thing for two reasons: curiosity and, of course, getting paid.Sooner or later more would surface, literally or figuratively. But why bring soldiers to an archaeological and historical search? 

“Do we have have a lead, Sir?” Said the woman. 

“That we do, thanks to the two men you’re walking with.” Commander Callen lit a flare. His built physique grew about three times bigger as a shadow bending with the rock and the red flare smoke. 

“Ugh, these rocks look like they’d entomb us.” Rodgers said. 

“Coincidence, right Sergeant?” The Commander said,” Happens to be a tomb with buried treasure in here.” 

“Right, Sir. If I may speak freely, I’d be prepared for disappointment, just in case.” 

He stopped and turned to Rodgers with his large shadow and red smoke. “Doubt it. Prepare for obstacles. Ancient tombs are known to have one or two of those.” 

** 

Sixteen minutes past since Lara saw the Trinity soldeiis return to their campfire. She couldn’t hear chatter. A loud crack sounded through the trees, and smoke and dust joined the campfire’s smoke. Jonah and Samantha flinched and slammed palms to ears. “Arh!” Then slammed a hand to her mouth. Lara put a finger to her lips, pointed to the grass and creaped up the rolling decline. 

“Umm, Lara-” Samantha started. 

“Wait.” 

Rock pieces, smoke and warm remnants of the campfire. Scanning the area, Lara found nothing of use. Which meant no climbing supplies. She frowned and jogged back down slope. 

“Well?” Jonah said. 

“It is clear.” She thought a moment, “Did you bring rope?” 

He unzipped his backpack. “I did. Whats your idea?” 

“If this path does lead to the tomb, we may need to descend or climb. You know, the usual. Have my pickaxe for a reason.” 

“Other than choking soldiers,” he said. 

“For self defense,” Lara scowled. 

“So we’ll follow you through that opening and see what we find. Should we split up if we maybe find another path?” She said. 

“That is for solving puzzles,” Lara said. “ Lots of those in Yamatai and Siberia. Were lots. Ancient tombs Ive encountered have something along the way to challenge explorers.” 

Lara started to the hole Trinity’s explosives blew. “Let’s go.” 

“Hmm. Must have been super tough for you.” 

“Ehh they were nothing, after Lara got used to then. Should hear the stories she’s told me. What she’s done is downright crazy. Rope swinging, platforms, swimming, spears.. Too much for me,” he said. 

“Seriously? Crap,” Samantha said. “All this exploring and hiding and obstacle stuff. I only wanted to see what you have been up to with these tombs and… this is more than I expected.” 

“More out in the world than sitting at a desk and reading about that ‘stuff’, and exploring woods near your home. Just keep close to us until we have a puzzle to get past and we need to split up,” Lara said. 

The hole Trinity blew was surprisingly small. Just big enough for Jonah to squeeze through. All these explosives and they could have made it bigger, she thought. “Hmm.. whats this?” Along the crack was a chiseled line reaching up and around the rest of the hole. She looked at the rubble, turned several rocks over. Two had more chiseled lines and flowing, yet boxy inscriptions. “Woah. Look for inscription on rocks.” A half minute later Samantha found three more. “We have, “Lara examined them,” ... a secondary door. A back entrance.” She laughed like she had found a hidden passage back at Croft Manor. “Should not be so obvious.” 

“To you,” Jonah chuckled.” Good call though. Map is right.” 

“If this Trinity knew about this door and the main one…” 

“They’re covering both sides in case of attack,” He said, then looked at Lara in realization. “Trinity thinks the Remnant soldiers are following. They have better things to do than Sophia needing to send people along with us.” 

“Whoever is in charge doesn’t know about us.” Lara entered the doorway. “When they do, they will have a problem.” 

“Lets use flashlights, not flares,” Samantha said. “Can click them off where flares give off smoke. Give us away.” 

Lara considered. “Hadn’t thought of that. Used to flares.” 

She heard Samantha let a breath out. In a matter of minutes, they bent, ducked, shuffled and followed twists and turns with flashlights. Bloop’s from water drops here and there. A jugged, slopped rock wall greeted them. Lara found the rocks with the most grip, and Jonah joined her at the top. He lended his grip to Samantha. “Haven’t rock-climbed in a long time,” she said. “Whew.” 

“Rock climbing gyms won’t get you as far as walls like that,” Lara said. 

Another couple curves and the path widened to a circle. A stick in an ancient holder angled from the rock. One click from her lighter and the torch was ablaze. “Long expiration date,” Jonah said. Lara did’t pay attention to the joke. Two more torches were found and lit, including one in the biggest opening in the rock yet. 

“I guess I will swing on your rope when we come to a… oh.” 

A gap between the rock and a several hundred year aged platform took Samantha’s words from her. Wordlessly, Lara took several steps back, then sprinted to the gap, pushed off, and raised her axe over her head. She couldn’t make out enough of a surface with the red flames flickering. 

TINK! “Uhhf!” Her axe slid, then caught. The last few feet to the top offered more grip and bite. Lara did not find what she hoped she’d find: a pulley, more rope and more torches. _I’d have climbed wood instead of rock if these were there_ , she thought. 

“Ouch. You alright?” Samantha said. 

“I’ll live. Perhaps we could have brought pain pills.” 

“That’s a first, coming from you Lara,” Jonah said. “Where’s our way across?” 

She walked to the next turn… and frowned. Neither of them will like this. Lara hauled the long, potentially rotten wood plank to the gap. “It’s all I see. Sam, come first.” Arms out, Samantha gradually crossed it. Jonah followed, each step causing a creek. Then split.. crack! Jonah yelped and threw his hands to the rock… and barely caught the edge. Lara and Samantha hauled him to his feet. 

“Thanks.” 

A sharp right turn down, then left. Faint orange light fingered up to them. Her axe jiggled on her hip. She heard Jonah and Sam’s feet shuffle behind. 

They entered a cavernous space with several platforms, pulleys, thick wood screws, and what looked like old scaffolding. Samantha gazed with awe, as if it were a child’s play structure several times bigger and more complicated. In its middle, just above the cavern floor, a ovular-shaped stone barely protruded. Etches of words and pictures of a burial had a layer of dust she brushed away. 

“Hey, this has more words and… and etching. Not like the map though. Looks like… , this could be the tomb entrance. What’s first, Lara?” 

Lara hopped, jumped, climbed, and threw her axe, with rope tied to one end, from the structure’s bottom left to halfway up the right side. “Pull that lever across from you.” 

Samantha yanked it. The platform Lara stood on lowered. _Pull this… push this...jump there and raise that._ She pulled another lever, jumped a gap, and pushed a stone into the mountain. Then she noticed her friends staring at her bounding like a gymnast on ancient wood. Focus. Seriousness. This was.. is.. her art, and they her audience. 

A grind from the stone caught Lara’s attention. _Okay… this has long key sort- of stones keeping it locked. Three of them. I need to do what I just did again. Another lever to pull, but not another square stone to push. Throw my axe to… to that post and..no… it needs that lever pushed back up to lay on_. The second long key-stone grind out from the door. Her pulse thumped through her wrists. _Hold on a moment. Whew._

“You alright?” Jonah said. 

“Just catching my breath. 

One rotation of a post and a combination on stones pressed in the correct order, after two tries, slid the third long key-stone. _I expected that to be much harder_ , Lara thought. She climbed down platforms and jumped to the rock floor. “These words mark… you’re right, Sam. A burial. So the next tomb and shard should be behind here. But the Prophet, no, this isn’t him. Its one of his disciples.” Lara grinned like a schoolgirl. _Finding another shard and seeing his followers, even if what they wanted wasn’t the right way to get it_. 

“Jonah, want the honor?” She said. 

“Sure.” 

The stone budged when the entire rock wall shook. “Crap,” Lara said. “Quick, before Trinity blows their way in there. See the tomb?” 

“Oh yeah. Urrrhhhh.” He strained against the stone’s curve. It finally rolled aside enough to let them pass into the tomb. Lara lit torches with her lighter, enough to illuminate much of the room. 

_There we go. Amazing. Decently preserved_. A ripped and faded tapestry hung behind a casket made of light colored wood. She felt along the top seam in case of a latch or button. 

“Lets push it first,” Lara gestured to Jonah. 

Wrapped in elegantly shaped silver, gold and blue armor, somehow better preserved than the tapestry and other trinkets, was a long body. Taller than the usual Middle Eastern male, Lara concluded. In his gauntlet-encased hands lay linen cloth. Nearly diamond shaped from the fold marks. “Thats it!” Lara said, and she unceremoniously grabbed the linen. “Jonah, your backpack.” 

Once she had it stuffed in the pack, Lara looked around the room. “Need an exit.” 

“Over here, Lara!” Samantha’s voice echoed. Lara thought she was standing closer to her. She glanced over to Samantha, gesturing to another tunnel revealed with a torch. Much too intrigued with notice the rock wall of the tomb shattering behind her. 

Lara pumped her legs as hard as she could and coughed dust. “Arh! It’s Trinity!” She blew past Jonah, given her smaller frame. She coughed, stumbled around a corner, barely seeing the flames of Samantha’s torch. Behind her and Jonah, bullets chipped rock and splintered. ‘Don’t stop, Sam!” She said as she grabbed her flashlight from her jeans pocket. 

_Do they know who we are?_ She thought. _Who I am? Nevermind, just run!_. Lara heard commands and thumps of boots. A round sent dust and rock chips down on her head. She yelped. “Faster, Jonah!” 

“Hard to move as fast as you!” 

Lara pumped her legs, pushed off walls and tried not to trip face-first into the darkness. Several turns later Samantha came into her view, heaving breath with the torch laying on the tunnel floor. 

“I’ll take the torch! You see an exit, Sam?” 

“I, I don’t know. Maybe a few feet up.” 

“Now you know what I have been up against in this job.” 

Lara pulled Samantha by her arm. Jonah ran past. “Better be right Sam!” 

A square, jagged hole at the top of an incline appeared to the their only exit. A yellow-orange sunset welcomed them out of the dark. But a light rain made the ascent slippery. Jonah quickly found hand grip and pulled Samantha with him. Lara grabbed and hauled herself up as fast she could. Taking a glance behind them, the patter of military boots grew louder. 

Trinity just couldn’t be escaped from. 

Lara gritted her teeth, straining her arm pulling Samantha up to the edge. A few bullets impacted the far wall, near Jonah. He shrieked. 

“Hold on tight,” she said to Sam. “Grab up here.” 

Just as she did, Samantha screamed in agony. “PULL ME!” She lost grip on the rock wall. Lara felt her side become warm and weak. Wide eyed, Jonah scrambled over. He grabbed them and they rolled from the edge to the thin grass outside. 

“No! Piece of- grrrhh!” Lara saw the bullet went through her side, below her ribs. Her pulse throbbed, breath quickened. She saw Sam laying flat nearby while Jonah ripped her shirt on her lower torso open. _No. No, not you._ The bullet wound made Lara faintly, exhausted. 

“And who are you three?” 

The authoritative voice made her chest go cold. Lara saw Jonah applying presure with a torn section of his shirt to the bubbling wound in Samantha’s lower rib cage. 

“Your friend didn’t need to take that shot. All you had to do was stop running. You know, talk to us. Understand one another.” 

On shaky knees and gripping her side, Lara got to her feet. “I’m the daughter of the man who showed you how to find the shards. I’m Lara Croft.” 

“Oh, so you’re Richard’s child. I’m sorry that he’s no longer with you. Once he figured out what I was up to, he pushed back. No matter how much I tried to show him what goodness would come from it all. Smart man, really, Lara,” he chuckled. “He knew a lot more than me or any other person in his field. But, with the secrets he knew about us, I could not take risks.” 

“Wh-who are you?” Lara said through gritted teeth. “Why shoot us?!” She one-handed gestured to Samantha and the growing pool of blood. “All we’re looking-” 

“Is for the same thing, apparently. I’m Commander Callen.” He stepped closer. “And this here is part of my army to insure we are not stopped short of our goals.” 

“That sounds exactly like something Trinity would say,” Jonah said with pressure on Samantha’s wound. “L-Lara…,” she groaned. 

“We are, in fact, Trinity. And now you know what happens when you go looking for what we look for.” 

Lara gripped her side, gasping for more air. What felt as a hot needle with enough pain to make someone else faint, caused nearly the opposite. 

“All for shards... of a-a long lost sword?!” 

“Oh, more than that. Find one in the tomb?” 

“We don’t know. Could be another map or something else.” 

“I wouldn’t do this if I were you, Ms. Croft. Did you find a shard or not?” 

Does she say no or show it? If she doesn’t show, they’re all dead right here. 

Lara pursed her lips, knelt down and unzipped the backpack. Cradled in the aged white linen she revealed a piece of silvery-white metal: a shard. _Another one down. A sliver of good news_. 

The commander’s soldiers stood still in a half circle since they reached the outside of the mountain. Callen took a step back. “Don’t try to chase us down. Trinity has goals, and I make sure their completed where I am sent. If you come after me, do so only if you want to work together, as your father tried to do. So I give you an option. Find the Shards of the Risen with me, and you’ll see what you’re missing out on. Or we’ll go find the others and you won’t have the means to rebuild it. That is, if you find shards to the second sword.” 

Lara couldn’t believe what he just said. _What? Two? Nothing of that in Sophia’s scroll_. Revealing her - and probably Samantha and Jonahs’ surprise - would make this worse. She glanced to them and shook her head. 

Lara put the shard back. “I’ll keep it in consideration,” she said flatly. 

Commander Callen snorted. “I am sure you will. You know, you’re really pushing it right now. I want to give you time to do rethink your decision.” He shrugged. “Never know what is possible if we team together.” 

He signaled his soldiers to leave. “I am confident you can figure out how to find me if you change your mind.” 

She stood on wobbly legs as they walked past the jagged exit. Lara couldn’t hold herself up any longer. She collapsed to her knees, crawling to her friend. “You and your tough voice acting,” Samantha laughed through croaks. “Makes you s-sound overly dra-dramatic.” 

“You’re tough too. Stay with us. Just need to run back to get the first aid kit,” Jonah said. “Wrap this around her.” He handed the bloody cloth to Lara. 

“The bullet is still there.” 

“Pick it out if you can. Samantha, hey… no. No you stay awake.” Jonah had to sprint like he had never done before to get the morphine and gause. He stood up to leave. Lara propped Samantha’s head on the backpack. 

“Lara, Jonah, you were right. Should...have… stayed behind. Couldn’t he-help myself. Get the rest of the, she shards.” Her eyes fluttered. “Get what you wanted,” Samantha said at a near whisper. She managed a smile before a final breath. 

Lara let the stream of tears leak down her cheek, anguish bubbling. She looked to the yellow-red sky with balled fists. 

“Arrrrhhhhhh!!!” 

She remained on her collasped legs. Exactly why she was hesitant letting Samantha come along. She had no idea truly how hard these challenges could be. She didn’t understand the risk, the drive, to get to these artifacts before they fell into the wrong hands. Lara tried so hard keeping Samantha behind her, protecting her. Samantha’s insatable interest, as much as Lara admired it, blinded her. 

Her legs and hip burned, a brewing rage that would startle even Jonah, who still stood looking upon her and Samantha’s dusty blue shirt. Lara felt his large presence sit next to her. He was now the only close friend in the world that she can depend on. 

The light Turkish rain cooled her inner fire. Not the one for drive, but anger. 

“She... was a great friend,” Jonah struggled to say. “Admired you a lot. 

_How do I answer that?_ “All f-from wanting to make that documentary ab-bout Yamatai,” she managed. “Then she wants to go with his on this, this.. trip, and this is what happens?” 

“Lara, just, just wait here. I’ll get the four by four. I bet they are gone by now.” 

“Stay out of sight.” 

Lara sat cross-legged next to Samantha’s body and took the linen wrapping back out, and looked at both shards. Tears slid down her dirty cheeks. _So focused on finding one and telling about that other he didn’t bother asking if there was another. Hmm. Two swords instead of one. Sophia needs to know. Or we can go find the rest and bring them back to Siberia. Wonder what Jonah thinks._

Lara heard the truck nearby. Trees and boulders made it hard to bring directly to her. They gingerly picked Samantha’s body up and placed her in it’s second row. Bumps and occasional breeze put Lara to rest as he maneuvered through the forest and rocks back to the road.


	10. Chapter 10

Tom McDonnell rubbed his forehead, then his thin. His canteen was half empty, an hour after refilling it. Sitting across the folding table with a three, five and queen held in his fingers, Ian Rodgers waited for his friend to lay his next card. 

No, not after what they had just watched happen two days ago. 

McDonnell never felt this before. Why would be? A former infantryman in the United States Army shouldn’t maul over emotion like this, right? 

No again. Was it his shot that fatally wounded that young woman climbing the slick rocks? Was it Rodgers or someone elses? Heck, his assault rifle’s rounds nearly hit the bigger guy. Just following orders. This circumstance, however, this one time… he questioned his choice to join this organization. He took another swallow of water and laid his queen card down. 

“We need to leave this. All of it.” 

Rodgers eyed him for a long moment and took a breath. “Hmm, what happened has gotten to you, huh? Well, truth be told,” he leaned forward, “I don’t much like this job either. The artifact, the history. That stuff is pretty intriguing.” 

McDonnell nodded. “Commander Callen thinks he means well with threatening. After all, he did that in Southern Russia. I’m tired of it.” He stood straight in his seat, making it creak.” Tired of all of this.” He laid the five down. “Sure he gave us money and the ‘promise of power to solve problems’. That’s what they all say.” 

“I’ll give credit where it’s due, McDonnell; the man’s smart. Tough. Organized. Driven. As intrigued as we are. But reasonable? I want to bet those other three are more reasonable than him.” 

McDonnell spoke low, almost whisper-like. “Then we leave here. Go to them. And if we end up facing Callen and whatever army he has in mind. Wonder what he wants to do with it anyway.” 

“Has to rebuild the sword, right? Has what, two pieces left?” 

“Think so,” he said. “No idea he already had two and found another through us, not including the grip he’s had for all these years.” 

They each put down another card. “Alright. After Iran next week, gather food and supplies. Anything we may need. We head to the dam after that. Once the opening comes, we find those others. Lara Croft and her guy. Man,” McDonnell said, “feeling bad for them. Ugh. Looked like she was those two’s friend. Hopefully they find a way to get her body somewhere better. Bury her properly. And that reminds me, getting rather tired of so much traveling so quickly. ” He cocked his head, “Ever think he can be convinced to stop all this?” Rodgers frowned. “Naw. Just us two. Or bring Corporal Douglass? She could have a thought or two.” 

“Sarah? Sure. Quietly bring it up. Besides, she’s grown on me,” McDonnell said. 

“Of course she has.” 

He couldn’t help but chuckle with Rodgers. Their plan formed, the Commander would never see this coming. A good thing; better to find and preserve these old items than get revenge on a resilient, but small community, spread over many isolated places in the Middle East, Russia and Asia. The three men discussed Iran and the dam, possible interferences. McDonnell observed Commander Callen pacing in front of the table that they’d read the scroll at weeks ago, rubbing his forehead.


	11. Chapter 11

Jonah shook his head. “Two of these swords? Seriously?” 

“I had no idea,” she said with a thick voice. “Nothing in those scrolls back in the village.” 

He sighed a defeated breath and slapped the trucks steering wheel. “That commander Callen probably has it by now.” 

Lara didn’t bother answering back. Or what we have is part of it. No. Would have threatened or demanded more. She looked vacantly up the road, and caught his sympathetic glance. Lara rubbed her reddening eyes and sniffled. She tried repressing this. Screaming earlier was enough, right? Apparently not this time. 

She heard Jonah sniffle and wipe his nose with his sleeve. “We need to tell Sophia. But going back takes long. And we didn’t bring radios.” 

“But this truck has one.” 

“Do they know our signal?” 

“Crap. Probably not.” 

“I’ll fiddle with it.” Lara turned the dial on the dashboard. Suddenly her throad dried up and she reached behind her, then stopped over Samantha’s still form. “Stop for a moment. Need water.” Jonah did as she requested and she guzzled half her canteen back on the asphalt. 

“Lara, don’t take this as… bad timing, but have you ever, you know, uh, grieved over your parents?” 

_And he asks that now because…?_

____

____

How can she possibly answer that after what just happened a day ago? Give it her best answer, she supposed she can. She was talking to, after all, the guy who she considered family. Which was amazing when she considered what she’d put him through, and still did. She really liked that about Jonah. 

Lara closed her eyes for a moment. “Not entirely.” 

__“Lara, sorry I said that.”__

____

____

"No, no, you’re… you’re fine. Have not been asked that in a long time.” 

“Alright. Then why are you doing all this, what your dad did.” 

____Lara looked at the declining road, a long building coming closer in the decreasing distance._ _ _ _

____

____

“There’s stuff out there that interests me that my dad never got to. And because… if Trinity got a hold of whatever’s out there, they become a major problem. No one else seems to see that.” 

She opened the backpack with the shards. _You have anther scene of my dad and that Callen person to show me?_ Both shards had clean cuts, though one was more jagged on the inside of the blade. They each glittered turning them over. 

__

___And Lara felt the heat and dryness of a desert canyon. The sun beat on whoever’s sandals walked on a rock path. In what she thought was ancient Byzantine, she translated from him, “The next time this happens, he will be defeated. Whoever reforges my sword will be able to fight him.”_ _ _

_Why the desert. What’s he wandering to? Looks alone. Or wants to be alone._

_Wonder who is like that? Oh, probably me. Yes. Not really a good thing._

_Wait a moment. Is this the Prophets… brother?_

___“And make him see, finally see, how sadly mislead he is. The Divine Source can’t bring immortality and eternal life, my brother. I fear you’d use it for wrongful purposes. And whoever does battle would have a serious concern. Ten thousand of them, for both sides. I hope you don’t forget I have you to thank for that.”_ _ _

___The scene jumped to placing items wrapped in cloth in an ornate burial chamber._ _ _

___“And its a very good thing, I say, my beloved brother, these swords you had crafted can rebuild such armies one last time, if your Source was destroyed. Now, may these shards, taken from your fallen and my own, be found when someone is ready to take up their real purpose.”_ _ _

___Lara’s throat tightened, and her shoulder was squeezed by Jonah’s hand._ _ _

___“Hey, you alright?”_ _ _

___“Yes,” she said. “Another vision. Sophia needs to hear this now.”_ _ _

___She laid the shards on her lap and turned the radio dial a few times again. To her amazement, she heard a familiar woman’s voice crackling through the speaker._ _ _

___“Sophia?”_ _ _

___“Lara! Finally got through to you. Great to hear you again. Is your friend Jonah there too?”_ _ _

___“I’m here. How’d you reach us?”_ _ _

___“Elijah found radios. We have figured out how to fix them. Then thought you’d be out in a forest somewhere, right about this time of day. And you did say you’d be in Turkey. Went though many signals before I just caught this one.”_ _ _

___“Nicely done, then. Sophia, Jonah and I found two more shards. And they gave me a vision!”_ _ _

___“What?” Lara heard her shocked reaction. “Actually, he may have mentioned it once or twice. Didn’t say anything else about them.”_ _ _

___“So he didn’t mention he had a brother who wanted to show him he was misleading people to believe something he believed to be wrong?”_ _ _

___Even Jonah looked at her with wide eyes._ _ _

___“Um, how…?” Sophia said._ _ _

___“These swords were forged for both brothers. Probably by the Prophet, because they’re made from the shards of armor from their fallen soldiers and pieces of the Divine Source.”_ _ _

___“You’re...no. that’s… uh, I’ve never heard of that being possible.”_ _ _

___“Sounds too good to be true,” Jonah said. Lara saw the airport soon ahead. “Then again, you just said that is what this guy’s brother thought. I’ll go with it.”_ _ _

___“Lara, Jonah, we have figured out where the next shard, maybe shards, are located. High probability that I’m meeting you near a strip of forest next to it. And I am bringing fighters.”_ _ _

___Lara blinked and looked to Jonah with wide eyes._ _ _

___“Uh, are… are you serious?”_ _ _

___“Yes, Lara. We believe Trinity is preparing to battle us once again, but this time for good. If their leader has the second sword reforged, he’s bidding his time for you.”_ _ _

___“He really thinks you will give up on this,” Jonah said, turning the wheel._ _ _

___She glanced up to see the Turkish airport surround them. Jonah put the truck in park on the side of the road._ _ _

___“Alright Sophia, before we return this truck, where is this meeting place?”_ _ _

___“Atsisu Dam. Southern Turkey.”_ _ _

___Gears spun in her head. _One shard. Maybe two. Meet her and the others. Find what’s there. What about the dam? Destroy it if its critical to Commander Callen? They took my friend, I’ll take their dam. Come on, is that necessary? Will consider that later._ _ _ _

__**_ _

__

__Rainfall blanketed the evergreen forest at the late night hour. Lara’s boots compressed the moistened ground. Crouched between short bushes, she looked upon the gently bending dam. Trinity rebuilt it decades ago. Before they discovered it, it was abandoned. Most records lost. Lara didn’t even recall that her father brought it up once when she was younger. Unlike other Trinity encampments, this one wasn’t heavily guarded on the outside. Handfuls of soldiers on patrol on each end, with olive drab armored trucks acting like big metal barriers, a radio installation towards the middle of the dam shining brightly, itself casting a shadow over the walkway, and crates stacked along the back end. Below, frothing water cascaded out of the dam, gushing and thundering down the river. Lara eyed the patrol nearest her. She was close enough to the dirt road leading to the dam’s entrance that she could make out how many men guarded it._ _

__Get in the turbine area. Enter a hidden room. Sophia said she’d recognize it from a symbol of the Prophet, Sopha’s late father. Lara was reminded of that when she was told.. In it? Supposedly a wood box with the next Shard. Hopefully the Prophets._ _

__Small floodlights presented the obstacles to evade, and targets in case she had to quiet them. Lara crept to the side of an armored truck. She saw the shadows of the guards casually pacing on the other side. Looks like at least two, if not three, Lara guessed. She laid on the wet concrete to confirm the guards. One walked to the front end of the truck, where the entryway to the dam was open; she waited until he paused in front of the truck. The other guards faced away. Perfect, Lara thought. She unsheathed a combat knife jumped the guard, held the knife to his throat and aimed her silenced pistol at the other guards._ _

__“Not a sound,” Lara said. She felt his hoarse breathing vibrate her wrist. He was a few inches taller than her, but Lara easily choked him._ _

__She moved forward, then fired three times at the nearest guard. His rain-soaked body splashed onto the concrete. The third guard turned around. Lara landed three more shots. She glanced left and right. No one else._ _

__“Where’s the fourth?” Lara said. He didn’t speak. She held her knife tighter against his throat and her silenced pistol against his rib cage, the floodlights illuminating them like a stage._ _

__“There isn’t one,” he said. “You’d better go while you have a chance. They’ll be co-”_ _

__Nothing further exited his mouth as Lara slit his throat. He slouched to the ground his assault rifle next to him.. She shot him twice in the heart. Her eyebrows wrinkled, lips pursed and eyes like daggers at the body with blood spurting out._ _

__Lara grabbed his personal radio and hooked it to her belt. Now where’s the elevator, she thought. A radio room was situated near her, behind a stack of Trinity supply crates. She jogged over to it, checking the corners. Inside the radio room, on the ground was a concealed cellar door._ _

__“No elevator… well this better work,” she mumbled._ _

__She nudged the door open. A silver ladder appeared. Step by step Lara descended and stopped on a concrete platform, looking out over a section of the dam’s turbines. Either side of the platform was a thick pillar of concrete._ _

__She squinted. “Maybe the elevator is somewhere else,” Lara said. _Why am I so concerned about that ? Get a move on, Lara. You don’t have long.__ _

___Lara jumped off the steel fence on the platform to a turbine. It, like the rest around her, had railings circling the top and ladders leading to the bottom of the massive curved dam. Once she reached the floor, she checked for Trinity soldiers._ _ _

___“Now where would Trinity hide such a valuable artifact?” she said. “Possibly further underground?” Lara glanced left, down the curve of the dam, and heard a faint squealing sound. An elevator. She briskly jogged along the curve, judging when to take cover in case of attack. The elevator door looked like it was about to fall off its hinges. Rust enveloped the edges. Lara checked around her for cover, right as the elevator door opened. She jumped to the side. A large crate gave her a spot in the shadows. She drew her pistol. Eight Trinity soldiers walked past. She entered the elevator and waited until the soldiers were far away enough to close its doors. On the right a number pad showed the levels in the dam. It only had two more levels. She pressed level three. Many crates, weapons, fuel, and even satchels of C4 lay in neat, organized groups in the level._ _ _

___“What are they planning to do with all this? Can’t be good,” she thought._ _ _

___Lara ran down the length of the room. No obvious opening to a hidden room. She ran back towards the elevator. Behind a crate of C4 satchels was a short walkway. Lara scanned. Then she spotted it. In the middle of the wall was the symbol of the Remnant Prophet: a robbed man, middle aged with a flowing hair, holding the Divine Source above his head, the Source emanating bright with power. Lara’s heartbeat increased and she beamed._ _ _

___“There you are.” No handle. Lara pressed her hands against the wall. She applied pressure. The door gradually opened, creaking just slightly. Hung on the wall like a hunter’s trophy was a large, two handed hilt and a sliver of elegant steel. On the handle were engraved streams of gold and silver, the guard and blade sliver with elegant writing, and the pommel a diamond the shape of a miniature Divine Source._ _ _

___“It’s so beautiful,” Lara gazed, blowing out a long breath and smiling. She slid it in her backpack next to the other shards._ _ _

___As she exited the room, the radio clicked._ _ _

___“Bravo 2 respond...Bravo 2 respond…”_ _ _

___Lara snapped to the crate of C4 and all the other supplies. “This will help.”_ _ _

___She cut the boxes’ strap, stuffed a handful of satchels and detonators in her backpack, then held a couple of each in her hands. Every several feet Lara stuck one on a wall, and somehow had time to place them on the ceiling. Lets go back to the first floor._ _ _

___A few choked out bodies later, she primed several more satchels on three of the diagonal turbines. Towards one end of the floor, opposite of the way she entered, an elevator with open doors appeared. On the radio the chatter increased. Lara froze._ _ _

___“Three casualties at the south entrance...checking for enemy activity….requesting backup in case of enemy forces…”_ _ _

____Got to move!_ _ _ _

___Lara jammed in detonators and placed more satchels on walls. She left a couple near the ammo crates and other C4 boxes. The elevator she came down with squealed and screeched; Trinity soldiers were close by. Lara primed the detonators and sprinted to the other end of the room. Gun shots rang above her head, off nearby turbines and concrete. She slammed the elevator doors shut and hit the top level button._ _ _

_How does that feel, having something taken from you?_

___She sprinted out the exit door she first came in and passed the guards she had taken down._ _ _

___At the edge of the forest Lara clicked the button on the remote._ _ _

___The lower level rumbled, cracked and burst with concrete and water. Lara never guessed that one was underwater. The other end of the dam blossomed with fire and rubble like a volcano. Chunks of turbine machinery and concrete fell into the gaping hole with water fingering between. Lara heard Trinity soldiers screaming. Floodlights winked out and the river gushed through the broken skeleton of the dam, sweeping away the armored trucks and remaining Trinity soldiers._ _ _

___Lara let the backpack slip of her shoulder and she slouched against a wet tree trunk. She unclipped her radio from her belt._ _ _

___“Jonah!” she coughed into it. “Jonah pick up!”_ _ _

___The speaker crackled. “Lara, there you are! Took you long enough.” he took a moment to realize. “Did you just blow up their dam?!”_ _ _

___“I found another shard, and a sword handle. You have to see this! Yes, I did.”_ _ _

___“Lara, that was too risky! I should have gone with you.”_ _ _

___“Not in the mood, but thanks for the option.” Lara said._ _ _

___He sighed. “Lara you can’t let what happened before you left distract you-”_ _ _

___“How can I, Jonah?” She breathed loudly. “That son of a-... it’s their Commander’s -fault taking taking Samantha from us! Now they don’t have these supplies.”_ _ _

___“Because that was truly necessary? To get back at them? Come on Lara, you’re smarter than them. Doing that-” he paused. “Doing that won’t bring back Samantha, nor will it make you feel any better.”_ _ _

____RRuugghh! One of these times I really wish he’ just see why._ _ _ _

___She remained slumped against the tree. Seething anguish was ready to overflow. Her mouth trembled. “Just, can you pick me up? They will find out about this soon enough.” Lara said. The rainfall slowed._ _ _

___“Just get far enough out of sight. Sophia and I are on our way.”_ _ _


	12. Chapter 12

Commander Callen paced on front of the metal table with arms crossed. _Just how did… how did Croft find it? Told by one of us or the Remnants somehow? He overestimated her. Badly. Like with Richard Croft all those years ago._

Should have known his daughter would be the same. 

And add in not one or two deserting soldiers. Three. Three of his best men and women left without a sight or word. 

He sighed, then slammed his fists down. “Commander. Sir,” said a thin woman his height with a crackling voice. “They took ammunition and food and a truck. And two boxes of C4 and grenades each.” 

_Alright. They made their choices. Here’s my next._. 

“If anyone else decides to leave,” his voice reverberated in the room, “please... let me know.” His cold gaze received a curt nod. “I need everyone I can get if it comes to it.” 

Callen reached under the table. It thudded from the weight of the short rectangular wood crate. All this searching came to this. “To the forge. And Sergeant, get the last shards.” 

His forces stood in a jagged line. Callen laid a shard next to the handle. 

“Commander, what about heating it?” 

‘Watch and observe. It doesn’t need it.” Callen stroke the seam once. Twice. It glowed a brilliant shade of white and blue. What looked like lightning lanced between the handle and blade and they seared. The four other shards in the box glowed and rose, connecting like the puzzle they were to find, each twinging and searing together one at a time. 

Its bright flare radiated from the entire blade. Above the guard, an angular piece of the Divine Source set in the middle of the blade, gleamed the greatest. He turned it over to examine the bygone Byzantine language etchings. “It only works if you have the Prophet’s fallen nearby. This,” Commander Callen looked down the line of men and women, “this is power. All we need to finish the remnants, people, is right here. And, of course, leverage.” He laughed. “Can never go wrong with leverage! I’m betting Lara Croft will give the Prophets sword to us, or we’ll fight her and the Remnant army for it. What good does something like this do in a museum or on a desk?” He said and saw many agreeing chuckles. “I would do that after it’s been used. What do you think?” 

Nods and ‘Yes, Sir” ‘s resulted. 

He focused on the sword, then the others and straightened his back. “Prepare to depart.”


	13. Chapter 13

That could have been much worse. An old oak door silently closed in her still racing mind. She smiled yet her shoulders hung low. Who knew something her father sought so much would put her through all this, again and again? So, she wondered, was it all worth it? Slipping through the surface of all the possibilities out there was that question again. 

It would come for every next adventure she went on. Every next risk. 

Once Callen left with all his soldiers, Lara left with everyone else to pack and gather their belongings in the Remnant’s Siberian home forest. Jonah commented on the nicely coming along rebuilding. Had four more houses to add roof parts amongst smaller tasks. Sofia gifted them an elegant wood casket for Samantha’s body. Jonah and Elijah gingerly placed her in. Cold faced and red eyed, Lara slid the top over. Light and tough enough to transport to the nearest airport. 

“Sofia, you and Elijah and your people helped us so much... And this casket, its wonderful.” Lara embraced her outside Sofia’s log house. “Thank You.” 

“Of course. No way I would have found out all this about my family. I owe you a big one. Jonah, thank you too. I… I’m so sorry about Samantha.” 

“You wouldn’t think she was one for adventure. But she was this time,” Jonah spoke with a heavy voice. 

Sofia nodded. “I’m amazed how much I didn’t know about my father. I think, you know, that we are in a much better place now. Hey, let your leg rest. And you both are welcome here next time you want to get away. Write or radio us.” 

Jonah nodded; they packed their off road truck for the first time in weeks and said goodbye to the Remnant village once again. 

From Siberia to Northern Italy to Frankfurt, Lara tried sleeping as much as she could in the seats of a 737. Plane seats were engineered to be comfortable, right? Even with that, her mind weighed with the casket, tomb searching, the dam, and the last days with her friend. 

At last from Frankfurt to a private plane landing in London, Lara was home with both her friends. How strange, coming back to a massive city full of bustling crowds with such little raw nature. She needed a break, to recuperate and to do something she wasn’t sure she really wanted to do again. The last time she lost someone she valued, she was nine years old. Then Trinity took her father. And now Samantha. 

Her funeral did help some. Jonah organized a funeral in a week and a half, allowing other friends and family to fly over. Seeing her parents’ faces, their shattered hearts, Lara thought herself worse at protecting than Callen’s dam was hiding the shard. It was then Jonah finally released what he had held back. On their knees in front of Samantha’s open casket, before saying bye to her family, they squeezed one another. 

“Um, let’s take the next few days off,” she told Jonah when they got to his small home afterword. “I will call you by the weekend or just,” she looked down at his blue doormat, then back up. “... if you need something, tell me.” 

“You going to be alright?” 

She shrugged. “Try to be.” 

“If you decide to go get lunch or see a movie or something, I’ll pay.” 

*

_I really need to fix that wall. Wish Winston was still here to play chess._

In front of her only-occasionally used forty eight inch television, Lara slumped on the red sofa she frequently used. 

_Ugh that remote._

A click showed a grey suited man reporting on the weather for the next few days. More sun than rain. What about a walk in the park to stretch her thigh? Lara then realized she forgot to get it looked at. How would she explain to the doctors she was shot by armored soldiers in Turkey a few days ago with a pistol round, searching for shards of a centuries old sword with two of her best friends? Then again, Jonah fished it out, quite painfully. 

She clicked the news off. Silence. A welcome silence. Between what to eat for dinner and how to take her mind off of the funeral, Lara could not help herself but consider what to do. A day where she forgot to chase something, or assembling a plan on the fly, would have be this day or some other. Lara drifted away, imagining her and her two friends playing air instruments to one of Samantha’s favorite songs in Croft Manor.


	14. Chapter 14

_Trinity - this Commander Callen - has the brother’s sword. We have the Prophets. It’s a wonder he didn’t mention it when I was here last time._

_All this and we - I - still could not stop him. What would dad have done?_

Lara’s spiderweb of thoughts and questions kept her silent. This cot sufficed, but she sorely missed her mattress at the Manor. 

Definitely will want a rest when she’s back. And the sooner the finished the better. 

And Samantha. Took but a moment’s thought for her eyes to water. Jonah doesn’t seem to have said anything about it the last couple days. She sorely missed her. Knew Jonah and her would go to the ends of the earth to get her back. Her numb chest felt like it was shattering. Two options came to mind: make Callen pay or give up the sword to him and his superior forces. 

Her tent’s door rustled. “This’ll give you the most energy you’ve had in days.” Sophia handed her a ceramic cup. Tea mixed with… I don't know. “Thank you. Different, but good.” 

Sophia nodded. “We have jerky outside. Time to discuss all this.” 

Lara arched her back and stretched her arms. _Let’s get this done with._

Jonah and Elijah sat at a fire pit. One of six, as more soldiers than expected had come. She took her place next to Jonah. “Good morning. How did that tea taste?” the weight of his arm around her shoulder did not feel trapping. Protective, rather. “Not one of my recipes. Probably thought it was,” he chuckled. “ Sophia made it.” She wanted to say soothing, just with all that had happened this trip, that did not sound right. 

“Best drink I have had in days. Several days.” 

“Can agree there.” 

“Lara,” Elijah handed her a bowl of oatmeal and sticks of freshly cooked venison jerkey. For a few minutes they ate quietly. Keep it this way longer. 

Sophia sat next to her right hand man. “So, Lara, do you know what is next or what you have? Anything.” 

Lara moved her jaw back and forth. “Commander Callen - this Trinity leader - has the other sword ready by now, I would guess. Don’t know for sure. What do we have? One more?” 

“Actually no. We found it for you! And built armor for both of you. My fighters are prepared.” 

Her jaw slackened and she heard Jonah’s audible surprise. “That’s… amazing! So, on that case, we need to build it. Wouldn’t happen to have a forging iron with you?” 

“We came extra prepared. Indeed I brought one. We owe you more than one, you and Jonah. You’ve helped us much.” 

“I need to rebuild the sword. Then we find out where their Commander is.” Lara got yo her feed slowly. “I believe he’s preparing to battle us.” 

Sophia shook her head. After what her people had gone through twice before, Lara hated having them push through a third fight. “Okay. The forging iron is over here. I would like to know why this ‘Commander', you name him, so badly wants the sword and what his plan is.” 

“I want to know why his brother didn’t like him,” Jonah said. They followed Sophia between tents and Remnant fighters laughing over a card game. 

“Well, in that vision, he said the Prophet was misleading people. Could be that he didn’t agree with what he taught or believed something else so much that,” Lara considered, “he simply wanted to stop him.” 

“But enough to want to battle him? Quite extreme for someone born from my family line,” Sophia said. “Here’s an idea: he was given a leadership position and power with my father. Thought of what he taught. Didn’t agree, so he left but wanted to prevent anyone from being taught wrongly about immortality. Makes me wonder if my father thought something of everlasting life. Immortality about not dying, the other about living forever.” 

“And we all know that in the end, that was all based on a stone he found. So don’t I need to heat the shards?” Lara said. 

“Ah. I’ve not told you: it doesn’t need that. Strike the metal once or twice. Maybe three times. You don’t see something like this everyday. But he did must have first constructed them with a forge.” 

“How else would he melt armor from his fallen soldiers. Good point,” Lara said. “You know, Sophia, I think your father had a a good idea, but,” she shrugged, “ just didn’t look in the right place. If you didn’t know, there are other people believing they can gain immortality, or eternal life, in this way and that. Or even have another life after the last one” Lara took Sophia’s wide eyes as a glare .”Oh, I’m sorry. Didn’t mean rudely.” 

“No, I’m… that was unexpected. Continue.” 

“So I wonder probably what Jonah is wondering too: why so many different ideas on that? I want to think having one way is best, and some beliefs do have that. Saves the headache from choosing one or the other and being certain.” 

“Have to admit, I’ve not put a lot of thought into that,” Jonah said. “What about you, Sophia?” 

“Same as you. Perhaps I can learn about these other beliefs. Or the most well-known one.” 

“I like that idea. Hold on a moment.” Lara got the backpack with the shards out of her tent. “Okay,” she placed each shard on the cold iron and held the handle over the front edge. Her child-like smirk received smiles from them.“Jonah, Samantha would have been so excited to see this.” 

“Where is she? I had forgotten to ask.” 

“Oh, right,” Lara took a breath. “Trinity shot her as we came out of the mountain with the two shards. She... she didn’t make it.” 

Sophia looked at her and Jonah with her mouth agape. “I am so sorry. Our condolences, as a people, for you two. Here.” Lara took the forging iron hammer. 

“Thanks.” 

One strike. Nothing. Second strike. The handle and first connecting shard began illuminating gold and white. Third strike. Metal seared and beamed and created new seams. Electricity bounced between a couple shards. They connected and twinged, almost melting into each other as if they were being completely reforged. 

Lara glided it through the air. Jonah and Sophia jumped back. “What? Trust me, I didn’t come through all this to accidentally hit one of you with a centuries old sword.” _If only Samantha and my dad saw this._ Light yet sturdy, Lara scanned the etched words on the blade. _For once I have no idea what these say. That looks familiar however. Good old Divine Source. So why did the bigger stone give the Prophet so much more life? His sword has a smaller version of it, and maybe his brothers does too. Another mystery for another time!_

“He wants both swords, which rebuild an ancient army. Giving it life once again.” She rotated its metal and leather grip. The mini source stone pulsed faintly blue. “Trinity really does think they can do their ‘world domination and controlling people’ with any sort of old item they find out about.” 

“They try, but have been, you know, having a hard time with that.” Jonah said, lowering his gaze. Sophia snorted and smiled,” And instead they simply want to get rid of people. Its a beautiful sword, Lara. What’s your plan?” 

It hadn’t hit her yet; she had the power to build a force much bigger than anything she had personally seen before. Tethered to this supposedly celestial power source, physically manifested. She could only imagine how much her dad would jibber jabber about this and dissect it. 

She may as well do the same. She got what she was after. The Trinity Commander had the surprise twist. However, what good was this all for? This sword she now has has a power extremely few, if any, other items from older times have. She couldn’t play God, for one, yet she could recreate an entire army that Sophia’s people could have to defend themselves. Or Trinity, or whoever so dearly wants to show he or she has a grand idea and they have to come to them or else. 

Perhaps this is not so good of an idea after all. Doubt even dad said that around the Manor. 

She laid it on the iron, then looked Jonah in his eyes and curled her lip. “Commander Callen will not expect me to throw him a curve ball. And neither will you. We’re going to-” 

“La… of.” Sophia her head to her radio hooked to her waist belt. Lara felt her shoulder’s flinch and legs seize. “Mis… Cr… ft,” Lara unhooked her own radio. “This is Lara Croft.” 

“Hello Missus Croft. You like how we found your signal? Calling for your friend to pick you up after you blew something vital of mine up made intercepting it that much easier.” 

Lara straightened her back and walked back to the campfire. Jonah motioned Sophia to follow. “So you found that, but you don’t have the Prophets sword.” 

“Sword, huh? So you finished it. Makes a pair! How about that? Seen what it can do?” 

“No and why would I? Part of your grand scheme?” In a few steps Lara stood with several soldiers, Jonah and Sophia. 

“Part of Trinity’s scheme, more like, but also a personal thing. Did you end up figuring out where the brothers’ descendants are? Or who they are? If you haven’t guessed by now, I am one of those. Now, are you going to give me the sword and you take home the pleasure of finding it, or are we fighting this out like old siblings?” 

Lara shook her head and huffed into the mic. “For you to destroy the rest of the Remnants? You already took away my friend. I blew up your dam. Can you see this? None of this stops. How about we end this through peace?” She couldn’t believe she just said that. But what better way to not loose more she cared for. 

“Heh, I admire that. Love for your friends and family. And thats what I once had. Trinity does’t stop until it get what it wants and more. The Prophet banished his own brother, no sympathy, and I came from a long line of others walking on us.” Lara saw shaking heads and eye rolls around her. “Come to the Adana area and settle this. Who knows? Maybe you’ll change your mind. Maybe I will surprise you. I’m sure your home Manor is far more inviting than anything this way is. The Brother’s once mighty soldiers against his high and powerful Prophet of a brothers!” 

Lara gave a hard look at each person next to her, then curtly nodded. “Careful what you ask for.” 

Jonah laughed slowly, sweeping his head side to side. “Not a great idea, Lara. I really wish we could just go home. Forget about Trinity. Now we can’t.” 

“We need to see this through. Start plan-” 

One Remnant soldier hollered nearby. “Incoming! I count three coming to us!” 

“Don’t fire,” one said. They approached the camp slowly, hands raised. “We’re deserters from Callen, the Trinity Commander.” 

“And how do we know that?” Lara hollered. The others around her stood stiff and ready. 

“Because we know where Callen wants to fight. And as much of a driven person he is - and smart - he’s also a moron. He paid us decently enough. We bought in to it… pun not intended. He’d rather help Trinity than do anything useful.” 

“You expect us to believe that after you destroyed so many of my people and my warriors?” Lara heard the grit in Sophia’s voice when she stepped up to her. 

“I mean, we can show you,” the shorter of the two men said. “That a good enough start? Eject our magazines and clips right here on the ground, right now.” 

_Surprisingly honest. If they spring anything on us…_

“Do it.” 

“I’m McDonnell. He’s Rodgers.” They tossed their empty assault rifles and pistols toward Lara. 

“Douglass,” the third - a woman with a thin tatoo on her neck - said. 

“Well then?” McDonnell extended an open palm facing up. “We really are worn out of pointless arming up and what not. But, we want to help in any way we can. Sort of repairs our conscience.” 

Sophia breathed heavily and marched to him. “I shouldn’t do this. Your commander wants to kill us off, get rid of us, all for… revenge from, from the past?! Sure can hold on to a grudge. What do you say?” 

“If I can speak,” Douglass said, “You are mostly right, actually. Not too far from it. Listen, all we want is to help. Bottom line: Callen wants to finish you in his fashion, so we need to plan for that. We-we have definitely made mistakes with all of this. So lets fix them and just get it over with.” 

Lara glanced backward to Sophia’s soldiers, then to the three facing her. “Fine. And... thanks. I would not have expected Trinity soldiers to, well, do what you did. Let’s get ready.” 

** 

_Where is he?_

She leaned sideways, standing in front of a red orange blotch of rock. A large handful of trees partly surrounded it and the dozens of Remnant soldiers - donning their captured assault rifles, pistols, grenades, and armor from Trinity warriors they had previously battled - near Lara. _Not agile. Not too breathable_ , She thought, _They must have had female soldiers wearing small chest plates… if they were actually allowed to carry swords._

She focused across a mix of red-orange and beige desert rock which had light rolls for miles. In a few places grass managed to spurt. Jonah had brushed, then plucked a patch. Lara pressed her hand against her chest to calm her heartbeat, then remembered she wore restored gold and deep grey steel armor. Had to complement the Prophet’s blacksmiths; sure had making all these smooth, while intricate, golden curls and angles. Her thigh wound had healed enough to not cause too much soreness from making contact, not to mention the chain mail. 

“Have you seen him?” Sofia said. 

Jonah sat behind the women on a low rock in his armor. “All that dust. Hiding behind it I’d guess. Maybe waiting for us to charge.” 

Sofia huffed noticeably, even donned in her own steel. “Lazy cheats.” 

“I would not necessarily say that yet.” Lara said slowly. She then stepped forward a handful of sort lengths. “I could, don’t know for sure, but could be a way to intimidate an enemy. Do not quote me on that.” 

“He just wants to drag us out first. See us, then he follows suit,” McDonnell said. He stood with Douglass and Rodgers, with Elijah and some Remnants. 

“You want me to take a look?” Douglass said. 

“Be careful,” Lara said. 

Less than a minute passed and Douglass jogged back. “See several lines of big armored soldiers. And probably fifty of… us. I just, just,” Lara saw concern and worry in her face and voice, “don’t want to take out our friends. People like us three.” 

“Don’t worry. I have an… idea.” Lara faced everyone behind her. “Here we go. Follow me! You have given so much to be here. Commander Callen, and Trinity, have to be stopped. Right here, right now. But this will not go as you think. Please, trust me!” 

She looked side to side. “I am not, um, good with those kinds of speeches.” 

Jonah shrugged. “You tried. Need to be more original. Write ideas down at home for next time.” 

Lara rolled her eyes, yet could not help to smile. “You want to be my instructor. Didn’t take you for a writer.” 

“I have ideas for you, Miss Croft, for later if you wish,” Elijah raised his hand. 

“Perhaps.” 

Lara gripped the Prophet’s sword handle. Metal against metal it _swhiinng-ed_ and glimmered. She marched to the red-orange rocks and trees and stepped up. 

And raised it above her head to the thousands of broad-shouldered, tall army of the Prophet’s Risen army, standing in the now dissipating dust, reassembled from the last battles they fought. “Come!” Lara cried. Ground rumbled. Trees shivered. Light Each armored warrior emitted a blue-white glow - the Source. Physical life force so many once believed in. Tangible and seen, as opposed to knowing such a life force exists without a physicality. 

_I will let you rest soon. Quite soon. Just trust me._

Lara returned to her friends. Finally they saw, in the somewhat near distance, Callen, his own soldiers, and the Brother’s river of armor, emitting bright candy-apple red from the eyes and torso. 

“Woah. Holy crap.” Lara saw Jonahs eyes grow like those apple eyes. “We will be okay, Jonah.” She gripped his upper arm armor. He took in heavy, long breaths. 

_Please let this work_

Lara gripped the sword by her right side and began to trot, then jogged. Jonah, Sofia and Elijah and the Remnant soldiers, the three Trinity deserters, and the wave of ten thousand bronze and gold figures with swords, spears, and axes shook the desert ground into a run. 

She sucked a breath through her nose, then roared at the top of her lungs. 

Everyone near Lara saw Commander Callen do the same. 

Behind her the warm desert air carried over ten thousand voices echoing her roar. 

Lara pumped her legs as much as she could muster. Adrenaline alleviated her still sore thigh and filled her tired body with vigor. She squinted ahead. Callen and his forces descended a low incline. Then she saw the flash of automatic rifles. Bullets pinged off steel and bronze and punched into the rocky and sandy earth. 

_Keep coming…_

Distance and rock closed. Lara gritted her teeth. “Lara!” Sofia called. 

_Just… a.. Little… closer!_

Lara sucked in a deep breath. I better not regret this! With burning legs, dry throat, moisture on her face and a tear from her eye, sword raised like a bat, she yelled. 

“SSTOOOOOOOP!!!” 

She slowed to a jog, then saw Jonah’s shocked expression. Sofia and Elijahs shoulders heaved. Every Remnant and Risen soldier slowed to a walk behind her, then stopped. 

“HAALT!” 

Lara turned the blade upside down. It stuck tall into the ground. She didn’t see how many steps Commander Callen was. “Don’t shoot,” Lara breathed. Only he approached her with the other sword. 

Lara panted heavily. Pressing on her thigh armor wouldn’t help even if she did it instinctively. 

“Enough of this. Think this gets you anywhere?” 

“Brave move, Lara. A first for me.” He spread his arms. “This gets me what Trinity failed to do a long, long time ago.” 

“No it will not.” Lara managed a huff. “Come on! Think about this! You always want a battle. Is that who you are, who Trinity is?” 

“And one for you.” 

She closed her eyes for a long moment, then let her shoulders slacken.. “I wanted revenge. I blew up your dam. You wanted me dead. You want what my father didn’t give to you. And now look! These swords were made to defend people who only thought they knew what they believed was right.” 

“You don’t think they were made as a show of power? I mean, they have a part of the Divine Source. Which you found and destroyed.” 

“Because Trinity was going to have it if I _didn’t_.” She shook her head. “I am no soldier and I tried being that today. Instead of, of this,” Lara spread her arms, “ let’s…” 

Should she say it? C4-ing their dam helped to do one thing: gather in the ages old desert where the Prophet once fought his brother - who joined Trinity - and taught this believed truth. She refused to loose another friend. 

Her chest buckles came loose and it dropped. “...just be done with it.” 

Callen blinked flabbergasted. “Rare to be offered peace in a battle. And,” Lara watched his gaze go along her line and his, “my soldiers are due for rest.” He lowered the Brother’s blade. And in a move Lara thought she would have to further threaten him to do, she took it. 

At long last. A unmentioned one for centuries in her hand. Emanating red still strong. 

She looked him square in his eyes. “Do not go after these again. Get out of Trinity while you can, if you are smart about it.” Lara plucked out the other then turned around. However she curled her lips in confusion. “Sofia, how do they, you know, go back into the ground? “Ah. Thats right. Forgot. Try pointing his sword at them. Let me say this.” 

Lara did as she said. 

“My father’s defenders, please, be at ease.” Blue-white light streamed from each knight, swirling out and to the ground. Armor clinked and the wind gradually covered every one of them with sand until they were but lumps. 

Lara managed a smile. Free of one sword, she slid the other in its scratched scabbard. 

“You did it, Lara. This actually worked and you didn’t even tell us.” Lara’s chest squeezed from Jonah’s hug. 

“For once, not telling you a plan, and not just an idea of a plan, worked? Shocker!” Jonah said. 

Lara shrugged. “You have a plan once we are home?” Jonah slapped his hands together. “Take a shower and buy a big salad.” 

Looking back at her foe, she said, “Alright. And for the others.


End file.
